Citrus Trap Adventures
by Killerchainsaw
Summary: Just a bunch of one-shots about all the girls going on little, fun adventures together. Hope you enjoy. ;) A sequel to 'Citrus Trap', so still being a Citrus and Netsuzou Trap crossover story.
1. Shopping Trip

**Author's Notes: **

**I don't own Citrus or Netsuzou Trap, or any of their characters, no copyright is intended!**

 **This fic is a sequel to another story of mine called, 'Citrus Trap' so I would recommend you go and read that fic before reading this one, in order to be up to speed on everything that's happened.**

 **This is a crossover story with Citrus and NTR (Netsuzou Trap) by the way. ;)**

 **Warning: This contains yuri (girl x girl) pairings as well as pseudo-incest, don't like? Don't read simple, otherwise enjoy. ^_^ **

**...**

Late evening was now slowly beginning to set in while Mei was busy in the kitchen cleaning the dishes from dinner, looking to the soapy plates and sighing a little. Hearing her elder sister happily humming to herself as the blonde was still sitting at the dining table, having been constantly looking at her phone for almost an hour now. Mei just rolling her eyes at her sister and going back to her task at hand.

However the blonde distracting her again as she chuckled slightly, and now Mei turned round to face her sister, calling to her in a low voice, only to get silence in response. Glaring to the blonde now as she walked over to the other side of the dining table and slammed her hand down on the wood, causing Yuzu to jump in surprise and look to her now finally.

"S-sorry were you calling me Mei?" the blonde asked, smiling nervously upto Mei now, as she held her phone close to her, almost having dropped it a second ago.

"I thought you said you were going to help me with washing the dishes," Mei stated with a slightly annoyed tone as she reminded Yuzu of the fact that she had promised to wash the dishes along with her tonight, however now she had seemed to have forgotten such a fact.

"I am…I just got a little caught up talking to Harumin. I'll help now,"

Yuzu answered as she now quickly stood up from where she sat, and made her way into the kitchen. Starting to help with the dishes right away, while Mei just looked over to her with a raised eyebrow slightly, knowing that the blonde was more focused on something else then washing dishes right now.

Shrugging her shoulders slightly Mei just walked back over to the kitchen sink, washing the dishes along with Yuzu now, easily guessing what was on the blonde's mind right now, as she sighed a little, and continued with cleaning a dish that Yuzu had already started on, but hadn't really done all that good of a job on.

"Are Taniguchi-san and Matsuri still coming tomorrow?" Mei asked now, not looking to Yuzu as she was merely only striking up a conversation so that she wouldn't have to listen to the repetitive happy humming that Yuzu was still doing, it now starting to give her a headache.

"Yep, and they said that Nene would be tagging along as well," Yuzu happily answered with a smile as she dried the plate that she had just finished washing, putting it back down onto the counter to be put away, although it still needed to be dried a little more.

"Great,"

Mei replied in a low tone, already guessing that tomorrow was just going to be a bother to her, only having agreed to it in the first place because Yuzu had begged her, and now she couldn't back out of it, otherwise she would have to listen to the blonde moan and beg her all over again to come along.

"Okazaki-san, and Hotaru-san know where to meet us right?"

The younger girl asked her expression blank now, as she didn't seem interested at all about what they were talking about, but still thought she might as well keep the conversation going so that there wouldn't just be complete silence between them. Which Yuzu would most probably fill with more of her cheery humming within no time.

"I think so, I texted Yuma-chan earlier and she said they knew roughly where it was, so I'm sure they can find their way around there tomorrow," Yuma stated, smiling to Mei but then seeming a little unsure of herself for a moment, holding a plate tightly in both hands as she looked a little worried now.

Looking to Yuzu with a slightly curious expression, Mei got the feeling that the blonde was worrying herself a little now, looking back to the dishes that she was washing again, "Why don't you just ask them to meet us here at our house instead? They know where it is after all," she simply suggested, drying off the plate she was holding, before putting it to the side and picking up a glass to clean next.

"That might work better actually. Thanks Mei, I'll talk to Yuma-chan about it later…err if she's still awake that is," Yuzu stated, mumbling that last part under her breath, looking back to Mei with a smile now, and Mei just simply nodding back to the blonde as she seemed like she was no longer worried about tomorrow.

"Isn't this exciting Mei? All of our friends will get to meet Hotaru, and Yuma-chan tomorrow, and we can all hang out together finally," Yuzu asked as a bright grin was now resting on her lips, excited to be seeing the friends that they had helped again, and also feeling happy about the fact that their other friends were going to be able to meet their newer friends and they could all spend some time together.

"What do you mean? Nomura-san is the only one that hasn't met them before now,"

Mei reminded the blonde as she now dried her hands and looked to her sister's hands, sighing slightly when she realized that she had been washing the same plate for a while now, almost seeming like she didn't want to part from it, or was just too distracted by her own thoughts to notice what she was doing right now.

"I know, but Harumin and Momokino-san only met them for a little while, and they don't really know them all that well yet," Yuzu pointed out, as it was obvious that she had been waiting for this day to come, and now was overjoyed that it was finally going to happen. Hoping that Hotaru and Yuma had been able to sort everything out with Hotaru's boyfriend, and everything would go smoothly from here on out now.

Going quiet for a moment Mei looked to the sink that now only had a few glasses that needed to be washed, dried and then put away, thinking to herself about everything that had happened before with Hotaru and Yuma, and even though she guessed that that had all been fixed now, there was still a bad feeling inside of her that caused her to feel a little concerned.

"I just hope that they don't cause any trouble like they did for use before,"

The younger girl now sighed under her breath, as she put down the towel she was holding, and rested both of her hands on the sink for a moment. Knowing that it was her own fault for agreeing with Yuzu to help those two girls work through everything. But then again it wasn't like she wasn't glad that they were able to lend a hand where it was clearly needed, it was just that she was hoping she wouldn't have to deal with all that drama once their two new friends came walking back into their life's again.

Yuzu looking to Mei and smiling slightly, as she knew that they had both struggled through helping Hotaru and Yuma with their unhealthily relationship, but she kept hopeful that things were looking much brighter for them both now, "Well all seems to be going relatively well for them since they went back home, at least that's what Yuma has been telling me through her texts. But I'm still not sure if everything went okay with Hotaru's boyfriend just yet," she stated feeling a little concerned herself now, but then just smiled and patted Mei's shoulder in a comforting way.

"But it's good to stay positive, and we can still ask them about it tomorrow after all," the blonde added as she was hoping to lighten her sister's mood a little. Mei just nodding back to her as she looked to the plate that Yuzu was still holding onto in her hands.

"You know if you hold that plate any tighter, you're going to break it,"

Mei stated gesturing to the plate that Yuzu was holding, as the blonde looked down to the plate in her hands and just smiled nervously. Now finally putting the plate down knowing that she herself was worried over how things had been going with Hotaru and Yuma as well, but as long as those two kept talking to each other, she believed they could make it through anything.

The two now finishing off with the dishes, as a silence fell between them, Yuzu thinking of bringing another conversation up so that it didn't seem as quiet anymore, but just as she was about to open her mouth she and Mei heard a loud knocking at the front door.

The two looking to each other for a moment, "Who could be knocking here at this time of night?" Mei questioned as she looked to the door, Yuzu doing the same as she gestured for Mei to stay while she went to answer the door instead.

"Don't know, Mom said she wouldn't be back till early morning right?"

Yuzu asked as she shrugged her shoulders, getting a nod in reply from Mei. As the elder girl now just walked to the front door and grabbed hold of the handle, pausing for a moment, until she heard more loud knocking, and opened the door in response.

Her emerald eyes now going wide upon seeing the exact two people that she and Mei had just been talking about now standing at their front door,

"Hey Yuzu-chan sorry to bother you so late but…" Yuma trailed off nervously as she gestured to Hotaru, who was being held up by her, the dark haired girl holding her hand to her side, and looking like she was in pain right now.

Looking surprised at first, Yuzu was a little speechless. Until she noticed that Yuma was holding Hotaru up, almost like the dark haired girl was finding it hard to keep standing, "What are you two doing here? And Hotaru what happened, are you okay?" the blonde asked, looking worried now as she glanced to where Hotaru was holding and could clearly see that she was hurting right now.

"It's kind of a long story, can we come in?" Yuma asked as she looked to Hotaru for a moment, the dark haired girl just looking back to her with a slight smile, seeming to be pretending like everything was fine for her at the moment, when it obviously wasn't.

"Y-yeah, of course,"

Yuzu nodded quickly as she helped Yuma to guide Hotaru inside, quickly walking her to the sofa in the lounge and sitting her down. Yuma sighing as she crouched down in front of Hotaru and looked to her with a worried expression now, Hotaru just smiling back to her slightly, trying to make the blonde less worried about her.

"Mei could you come in here for a moment?" Yuzu called to her sister as she looked to Hotaru with a concerned expression, wondering if she was okay, and dreading to think if this was anything to do with that boyfriend of her's.

"Who was at the door Yuzu?" Mei asked walking into the lounge now, looking surprised as she saw Hotaru sitting on the sofa, and Yuma crouched down beside her, "What happened?" she asked coming to stand beside the sofa now.

"Hotaru's been hurt," Yuma stated as she looked to the other two girls now, moving Hotaru's hand out of the way, as she lifted up her shirt slightly to reveal a large bruise that was covering a large part of Hotaru's side, redness forming around the wounded area as it was still quite sore looking.

Seeing the bruise Mei quickly looked serious now as she told Yuzu to go and sit with the other two, "I'll go and get a damp cloth," she stated, before leaving the room to go and grab a cloth to nurse Hotaru's wounded side with, while Yuzu now came and sat beside Hotaru on the sofa, glancing to her side still, and hoping that it just looked bad and it wasn't causing the dark haired girl too much pain right now.

"Does it still hurt?" Yuma asked looking to Hotaru with a worried expression still.

"I told you Yuma-chan it's just a bruise," Hotaru answered smiling to Yuma slightly, knowing that she was worrying about her, and trying to make it seem like she was fine, hiding the fact that she actually was in quite a bit of pain right now.

Mei now came walking back into the lounge quickly, damp cloth in hand as she came to sit on the other side of Hotaru, laying the cold cloth over Hotaru's bruised side as she glanced to her smiling expression, and knowing that she was forcing that smile.

"Thank you Mei-san, but it really doesn't hurt that much," Hotaru stated smiling to Mei as she thanked her, wincing at the cold feeling of the cloth on her skin, her bruise stinging a little, as she took a deep breath, relaxed against the cushions on the sofa, and breathed through the slight pain in her side.

"How exactly did this happen?" Yuzu asked hoping that things were going to become a lot clearer to her and Mei as to why the two had both turned up at their front door at this time of night, and why Hotaru had been hurt.

Not answering for a few moments Yuma nervously looked to Yuzu, before she turned to look to Hotaru again, almost as if she was checking to make sure it was okay for her to tell the other two about what had happened. Hotaru just nodding to Yuma with a slight smile still, understanding that Mei and Yuzu were very confused right now, and deserved some explanations.

"Was this something to do with Hotaru-san's boyfriend?" Mei asked, her and Yuzu seeming to be thinking about the same thing now, while Yuma just nodded slightly, taking a deep breath, before she started to explain just what had happened.

"We told Fujiwara about everything, how you two had helped us work everything out between us, how Hotaru and I confessed to each other, and…Hotaru even told him that she didn't want to see him anymore," Yuma explained, glancing back to Hotaru for a moment, the dark haired girl now having a slightly nervous expression on her face, still wincing a little at the feeling of the cold cloth resting against her skin.

"And?"

Yuzu asked, feeling a little more worried now, but wanted to hear just how things had ended up in the way they had. While Mei sat listening intently, still holding the cold cloth to Hotaru's wounded side, and glancing to her to make sure she was okay. Hotaru seeming okay for now, but Mei wasn't certain if she was still masking the pain she felt behind her smile.

"And surprisely he seemed to take it really well, better than expected even. But then Hotaru decided to go and see him again earlier today, which I told her not to do- Yuma stated, seeming like she had more to say, but Hotaru cutting her off before she could continue.

"I only went over to make sure he wasn't going to do anything rash," Hotaru stated, knowing that it was her own fault that she got hurt, thinking that she shouldn't have gone over to see Fujiwara again after all, but she didn't trust that her now ex-boyfriend would just leave things the way they were and be fine with it all. And she couldn't be more right about that.

"It's a little late for that now though, after all you got hurt again, plus he…" Yuma paused as she felt nervous about revealing what else had happened. Mei and Yuzu seeing just how angered Yuma was by all this, clearly she still held a great hatred for Fujiwara, and understandably so with all the things that he had done to Hotaru.

"He what?"

Mei asked, her and Yuzu both looking to Yuma for her to continue, while Hotaru just sighed slightly, her pain subsiding now, knowing that things weren't looking good for her and Yuma right now, but wishing that Yuma didn't worry over her so much, she didn't like seeing her like this.

"He leaked the picture of Hotaru and me to everyone and exposed us to the whole school," Yuma now said as she looked away from Yuzu and Mei, her voice going a little low, while her fists clenched tightly and she felt her blood boiling over just from thinking about Hotaru's ex.

Yuzu and Mei now looked to each other taken aback, and concerned again, knowing that having their secret relationship exposed was the last thing Yuma and Hotaru had needed, guessing that going to school would now be almost like they were walking right into a interrogation where most likely everyone would be judging, and questioning them on their relationship.

"And because of that Yuma-chan and I haven't been able to go to school in a few days, I went round this afternoon to try and talk to Fujiwara about what he had done…but he just got angry at me instead," Hotaru explained, knowing that she and Yuma had made Fujiwara mad and he was simply doing all this to get back at them both.

"And then I find you on my doorstep in pain again because of him…" Yuma paused, gritting her teeth together tightly as she didn't want to see Hotaru get hurt like this again, her voice now shaking as she could feel tears welling up in her eyes, "I…I want to protect you Hotaru, and I…I don't want him hurting you anymore…I don't want to just sit back while you're the one suffering," the blonde said in-between slight sobs, choking back her tears, as she looked to Hotaru and wished there was some way she could make it all better for her.

Yuzu looked to Yuma with a worried expression, knowing that the other blonde wanted to be there for the one she loved, but at this point she no doubt felt like she had failed at that task. Hotaru getting hurt again made her feel guilty for her not being there when she needed to be.

"Yuma,"

Hotaru whispered out as she reached her hand out and gestured for her girlfriend to come closer to her. Yuma wiping her eyes as she now leaned into Hotaru more, and widened her eyes when she felt Hotaru's hand resting over her cheek, the dark haired girl now smiling to her kindly.

"You shouldn't feel like you're responsible for this, it was my own fault for going to see him again," Hotaru stated as she stroked Yuma's cheek lightly, "And I'll admit that although it does hurt a little, I promise that I'm okay," she added moving her hand to brush Yuma's hair out of her eyes. Yuma now tearing up again as she looked to Hotaru's reassuring smile, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend a moment later.

"You know you really scared me Hotaru?"

Yuma asked in a low voice embracing Hotaru tightly, while Hotaru just smiled and hugged Yuma back, resting her head on the other girl's shoulder for a moment, as she rubbed her back in a comforting manner, and could hear her sobbing slightly still.

"I know, I'm sorry Yuma,"

Hotaru replied as she let out another slight sigh, and smiled for a moment, before closing her eyes and nuzzling into Yuma's neck. Yuzu smiling slightly to the hugging couple as she was happy that even though the two had been going through a lot lately, it was clear that they still wanted to be with each other. And it was obvious that they had been talking a lot more than they were before.

An idea now coming into Yuzu's mind as she wanted to help Yuma and Hotaru, but wasn't exactly sure how to until she thought of something, and now caught the two's attention, "Hey why don't you two stay here for the night?" she suggested, Yuma, Hotaru and Mei now all looking to her with the same surprised expression on their faces.

"I mean we were already going to be meeting up tomorrow right? So wouldn't it be better for you to stay here rather than go back home, after all our Mom isn't coming back from work until morning, so that means there's a room free for you two," Yuzu explained her idea, wanting to help the two girls again, and make sure that they wouldn't have to go through this all alone anymore.

The other three girls looking a little speechless as Yuma and Hotaru weren't too sure how to answer, and Mei just seemed a little taken aback by the fact that Yuzu proposed such an idea so suddenly, but then she guessed it wasn't all that surprising, knowing that all Yuzu was trying to do was help the other two girls right now.

"Oh no, thank you Yuzu-chan, but we can't impose on you like that," Hotaru stated denying the offer, as she smiled to Yuzu slightly, knowing that the blonde wanted to help, but not wanting to trouble her and Mei again with her own problems.

"But Hotaru what if Fujiwara comes looking for you again, he knows where both of us live after all,"

Yuma stated as she pulled away from Hotaru now, seeming to have calmed down a little, but was worried over the fact that Hotaru just might get hurt again if she let her go home alone tonight. Plus it wasn't like she could fend off Fujiwara if he did happen to come looking for Hotaru, so just her staying with the dark haired girl wouldn't be enough to insure her safety. Also she didn't want to have to bring her Mother into all of this so Hotaru staying over at her's didn't seem like a good option either.

"He's not a stalker Yuma-chan," Hotaru smiled as she tried to persuade her into deciding to let her go home for the night, not wanting to be a bother to Mei and Yuzu again.

"That doesn't matter Hotaru, he could still hurt you again," Yuma stated looking back to Hotaru with a serious expression now, thinking that Yuzu's idea just might be a good plan after all.

"And I can't just let you two go back home and deal with all this by yourselves when I know there's a way for me to help you. And I don't have a problem with you two staying here for the night honestly," Yuzu reassured the other two as she smiled to them, wanting to do what she could to help, even if that meant just having them be around their friends at a time like this.

"That is really kind of you Yuzu-chan, but…" Hotaru paused as she now let go of Yuma, and leaned closer to Yuzu, whispering into her ear, while she glanced to Mei for a moment who still seemed to be taken aback by all this,

"...do you think that Mei-san would really be okay with this?" Hotaru asked in a quiet voice, causing for Yuzu to widen her eyes in realization, looking to her younger sister now as a slightly nervous expression formed onto her face.

"Umm…what do you say Mei, can they stay please?" Yuzu asked looking to Mei with a pleading expression now, Yuma and Hotaru just looking to the black haired girl with nervous expressions on their faces, wondering what her answer would be.

Mei raised her eyebrow to Yuzu, as she thought for a moment, knowing that letting Yuma and Hotaru stay would be the right thing to do, after all she also did want to help the other two girls, being concerned over the fact that all these new problems had opened up for the two when they had only just gotten everything worked out between them.

Sighing now slightly, Mei gave in, "Fine they can stay, but just as long as it's for one night," she said agreeing to Yuzu's idea, and deciding to let the other two girls stay for just tonight, after all they were going to be spending most of the next day together anyway.

"Really Mei-san, you'll let us stay?"

Yuma asked with hope-filled eyes, while Hotaru just smiled to Mei and thanked her politely, thinking that these two really were too kind with all they had done for her and Yuma. Yuzu's face now lighting up with a smile, as she was happy to see that Mei also wanted to lend a hand where it was clearly needed right now.

"I don't see a problem with it if it's just for tonight, but this doesn't mean that you two can misuse our Mother's bedroom just because she isn't going to be here tonight," Mei pointed out, letting the two girls know that sleeping and sleeping alone would be all that they would be doing while staying in their Mother's room tonight.

"Of course, after all I'm too tired to do anything but sleep tonight," Yuma nodded quickly as she got the message as to what Mei meant, and knew not to go against her words.

"Me too," Hotaru agreed as she smiled to Mei. She and Yuma thanking her greatly, letting her know just how much they really appreciated this from them both.

Mei just nodding to the two of them simply in reply, glad that if they were both here then at least she and Yuzu wouldn't have to worry about them tonight. Yuzu now sighing with relief as she smiled to Hotaru and Yuma, and then looked to Mei again, taking note to the fact that she herself would have to thank her later as well.

Smiling over the fact that things would seem to turn out okay now, Yuzu then widened her eyes as she thought of something and looked to Hotaru's wounded side that was still being covered by the cold cloth that Mei had rested on there, now wondering if the dark haired girl would really be okay for tomorrow or not, especially since she had trouble walking earlier and Yuma and her had to help her inside.

"But wait, Hotaru are you sure you're going to be okay for tomorrow, wouldn't it be better for you to rest instead?" Yuzu now asked, worried that Hotaru's condition might worsen if she pushed herself, the other three girls now looking back to Yuzu again.

However Hotaru just smiled, leaning over as she rested her hand on Yuzu's shoulder, "It's okay Yuzu-chan, it's not that serious. And besides I want to go and have fun with you all tomorrow," she stated, reassuring Yuzu that she was going to be okay, and she didn't need to worry about her. Yuzu looking to Hotaru's smiling face and seeing that right now she couldn't be more truthful, smiling back to the dark haired girl as she nodded to her in reply.

All of them now happily falling into a more happy-toned conversation about what tomorrow was going to be like for them all, laughing and talking together, before they soon all decided to head off to bed for the night, since they needed to be up early the next morning.

….

Now standing in her and her sister's bedroom Yuzu quickly changed into her pajamas for the night, looking to Mei with a smile as the younger girl was sitting up in their bed already changed and ready for bed, waiting for Yuzu to come and join her now.

"Well this sure feels familiar, huh Mei?" the blonde smiled as she now came to sit beside Mei on the bed, smiling to her sister as she thought about how similar this was back to when they had first helped Yuma and Hotaru out, only this time it was with slightly different troubles that they were going through.

"It seems that we might have just jinxed this, since we were talking about how we hoped everything had turned out okay for them, and then they come knocking on our door, almost as if on cue showing us that we were wrong with our thinking," Yuzu added as she smiled nervously now, speaking in a slightly lower tone, Mei just looking back to the elder girl with a blank stare for a moment, before she just shrugged her shoulders a little.

"As long as they're both okay then everything's fine right?" Mei asked looking to Yuzu with a slightly curious expression as she wondered if the blonde was still worrying about the other two girls that would most likely be sleeping soundly in their Mother's bedroom right now.

"Yeah you're right, and thank you for letting them stay tonight Mei," Yuzu smiled as she really was glad that Mei agreed to her idea, when she could have easily just said 'no' and turned the other two girls away, but Yuzu knew deep down that Mei wanted to help them too, even if she didn't admit it. The blonde now climbing onto the bed along with Mei.

"Well I could see that they needed help, and you were right Yuzu, they shouldn't have to go through this alone, after all they are our friends, right?" Mei asked as she looked to Yuzu with a soft expression now, causing Yuzu to now smile brightly back to her and nod her head happily.

"Right,"

Yuzu replied, before she now hugged Mei tightly, Mei relaxing as she hugged Yuzu back. The two sharing a warm embrace and a sweet kiss goodnight, before both of them then laying down to drift off to sleep together, the two of them genuinely looking forward to tomorrow, knowing that it would surely be hectic, but also quite interesting no doubt.

…...

"Yuzu, are you coming now?"

Mei called upto her elder sister as her, Yuma and Hotaru now stood in the front doorway, all dressed and ready to leave, all of them having already had breakfast, and now waiting for Yuzu to come and join them as she had been 'getting ready' for the last twenty minutes or so, spending way too long in their room now in Mei's opinion.

Yuma and Hotaru just looking in the direction of where Mei and Yuzu's bedroom was, waiting patiently for Yuzu, while Mei was getting a little annoyed and impatient now, not hearing a response from her sister so she called out again, but louder this time.

"Yuzu will you hurry up, all the others are going to be waiting for us!" Mei now raised her voice as she called to her sister again, getting tired of waiting for her now, and just wanting to get going already.

"I'm coming now!"

Yuzu said as she suddenly came running out of her and Mei's bedroom, quickly coming over to stand beside her sister, nodding to her with a nervous smile. While Mei just rolled her eyes slightly and started to head for the door now, Yuma and Hotaru smiling and chuckling to Yuzu a little, before they started to follow Mei. Yuzu sighing happily as she just smiled, walking behind the others, but then stopped and looked to Hotaru now.

"How's your bruise today Hotaru?" the blonde asked, feeling a little concerned for the dark haired girl, as she didn't want her to think she had to come when really she could just stay and rest if her side really was hurting her.

However Hotaru happily just smiled to Yuzu, "Still a little sore, but it doesn't hurt anymore. Don't worry Yuzu-chan I'll be fine," she answered, letting Yuzu know that she was really okay, and she didn't need to worry about her so much. Looking to Yuzu with a reassuring smile as the blonde now smiled back to her.

"I'm glad,"

Yuzu replied, as she nodded to Hotaru with a smile, noticing that her and Yuma were holding hands right now as they both smiled to her and starting to walk out the door and follow Mei. Yuzu looking down to her own hand now as she thought for a moment, wanting to hold hands with her girlfriend as well, however being dragged out of her thoughts as Mei called to her to 'Hurry up' again.

The blonde now quickly following behind Hotaru and Yuma as they all left the house together, hoping that they hadn't kept the others waiting for too long, but at the same time knowing that they were going to be much later then they said they were going to be.

….

Meanwhile standing outside the shopping centre in town Matsuri, Harumin, Nene and Himeko all awkwardly looked to each other, having been waiting for the two missing people that were meant to be here joining them quite a while ago, knowing that they were also bringing two other people with them, but were now were just wondering where they could all be.

"Yuzucchi did tell us to meet here right Matsuri?"

Harumin now asked as she leaned against the tall building they were all waiting outside of, the brown haired girl looking to the middle schooler with a slightly raised eyebrow, folding her arms as she wondered if maybe she had gotten the meeting place wrong.

"She said for us to all meet in front of the clothing mall,"

Matsuri stated as she too was wondering if maybe they were in the wrong place, sighing as she looked to her phone and saw the text 'No new messages' on her screen, thinking about if she should just text Yuzu and ask what was taking her and the others so long.

"Maybe they're just late, I'm sure they'll be here soon enough," Nene chimed in as she tried to sound hopeful, when she herself didn't know if what she was saying was actually going to turn out to be true or not, looking around as her eyes shifted a little, hoping that Yuzu and the others would show up soon.

And luckily for her it didn't seem like they had to wait much longer, as within a few more moments of them all standing and looking around, Matsuri now heard a faint, familiar voice calling out loudly to them all. Turning to look in the direction of where she heard the cheery voice come from, smiling now as she spotted the exact four girls that they had been waiting on for, for a good while now.

"Looks like you were right Nene,"

Matsuri stated with a smile, as she now gestured to the group of four girls that were quickly making their way over to them all. Harumin, Himeko and Nene all sighing with relief and smiling as they all waved to the approaching girls, all of them quickly going over to greet them now.

"It's about time you all got here, just what was taking you so long?" Matsuri asked as she looked to Yuzu with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile, Yuzu just smiling back to the younger girl nervously now.

"Well let's just say, we spent a bit more time getting ready than we should have, right Mei?" Yuzu asked as she looked nervously to Mei now, smiling still, while Mei just stared blankly back to her for a moment before answering.

"I'm not sure what you mean by 'we', you were the only one that was taking a long time, while Okazaki-san, Hotaru-san and I were all ready to go, and had to wait for you," Mei stated her expression not changing as all the others just smiled at the way the two step-sisters acting as they always did, glad to know that they were only late because Yuzu was taking too long, and there was nothing for any of them to worry about.

"It's good to see you again Matsuri-chan," Hotaru greeted her old friend as she smiled to her happily, waving to the younger girl, and Matsuri just smiling back to her in return.

"You too Hotaru-chan,"

Matsuri greeted back with a smile, as she looked to Yuma who was standing beside Hotaru right now, noticing that the two girls were holding onto each other's hands tightly, their fingers interlocked, causing Matsuri's eyes to widen a little. Before she just smiled and guessed something good had happened that she did not yet know about, but she did intend to find it out soon enough.

"Hey it's been a while you two, I was a little surprised to hear that you two were coming shopping with us today, but Yuzucchi told me that you actually became good friends with her and the Prez while you were here last time. Do you still remember me?" Harumin asked as she greeted Hotaru and Yuma, smiling to them both, recognizing them from that time she had met them that now didn't seem all that long ago.

"Of course, Taniguchi-san right?"

Hotaru asked as her and Yuma now slowly let go of each other's hands, smiling to and greeting Harumin, recognizing who she was easily, and also remembering Himeko as they looked over to her and smiled. Harumin just happily nodding to Hotaru as she also looked over to Himeko and gestured for her to come over to them.

"Well I wasn't expecting to see you two again, and especially not like this, not that I'm complaining though. It's good to see you both again," Himeko stated as she now came over and greeted Hotaru and Yuma, smiling to them politely as she too had been surprised to hear about these two girls that were coming along when they were once strangers to Mei and Yuzu, but were now good friends with them both, although she didn't mind spending time with them again, just as long as they didn't lie to her like when they had first met her.

"It's good to see you too Momokino-san," Yuma greeted back as her and Hotaru smiled back to the other two girls. Yuzu glancing over to the four girls, and smiled at the way they were all getting acquainted again happily, Yuzu believing that they would all get along well.

"Um…Yuzu-Senpai?"

Nene now caught Yuzu's attention as she looked nervously to the elder girl, seeming to be anxious about something. Yuzu looking back to Nene with a smile, wondering why she had such a nervous looking expression on her face right now.

"What is it Nene-chan?" Yuzu asked as she smiled to the younger girl happily, wondering just what she wanted to ask her right now.

"Who are those two girls that you brought along with you?" Nene asked as she pointed over to Hotaru and Yuma, never having seen either of them before, and was surprised that everyone bar her seemed to know them, feeling like she was missing something here right now.

"Oh that's right Matsuri invited you to this at the last minute, you've never met these two have you Nene?" Yuzu remembered now that Nene didn't know Hotaru and Yuma and this was her first time ever seeing and meeting them, while everyone else had met them both before now.

Nene just shook her head slightly, still looking a little nervous as Yuzu now smiled to her again, and walked her over to stand in front of Hotaru and Yuma now. Harumin and Himeko looking to their underclassmen as they also realized that she was the only one that had never met the two girls that they had just been getting acquainted with again.

"Hotaru, Yuma-chan," Yuzu now caught the two girls attention as she smiled to them both, pushing Nene forward a little, as she now introduced her to them both, "You didn't get the chance to meet her before, but since she's here now, you can meet her. This is Nomura Nene, she's an underclassman of ours, and also a good friend of mine, and Matsuri's," the blonde stated gesturing to Nene, while Hotaru and Yuma now bowed politely to the younger girl, Nene smiling back to them, but showing to be happier about the fact that Yuzu just called her, 'a good friend of her's'.

"And Nene these two are Mizushina Hotaru, and Okazaki Yuma, I met them not too long again, and became friends with them both in no time, so I'm sure that you'll get along well with them as well," Yuzu now introduced Hotaru and Yuma to Nene, the younger girl looking back to the other two girls, and smiled to them both politely now.

"It's nice to meet you Nomura-san," Hotaru stated while Yuma also greeted the younger girl, both of them smiling to her kindly now, having not expected to be meeting another one of Yuzu's friends today, but happy to be acquainted with Nene all the same.

"Just Nene is fine, and it's nice to meet you two as well,"

Nene replied bowing back to the other two politely, while Yuma and Hotaru just nodded back to her in return. Matsuri smiling as she now came walking over to stand beside Yuzu, catching her's and all of the others attention.

"Well now that that's out of the way, I believe we all have some shopping to do, and since we are planning to all go to the beach together soon, we should also buy some new swimsuits while we're here too,"

The middle schooler stated with a smile, as Yuzu, Harumin and Nene all cheered together in reply, them all heading into the mall quickly with Mei, Matsuri, Himeko, Hotaru and Yuma following close behind. All of them deciding to go and buy some new swimsuits for themselves first, since they all figured it would be good to get that out of the way first, and then they could go shopping and browsing for other things later on.

The large group now splitting up into much smaller groups as Harumin, and Yuzu went off together, Nene following after them. Himeko went together with Mei as even though the President wasn't really into shopping for clothes, they were going to be all going to the beach soon, so she guessed that she might as well look for a new swimsuit as well, Himeko happily following the dark haired girl around the swimsuit aisles like a puppy.

Which left Yuma, Hotaru, and Matsuri to go off together. Yuma and Hotaru looking at all the different swimsuits together now, looking for the ones they would like to pick out and try on. While Matsuri smiled slightly, walking over to Hotaru, as she caught her attention and gestured for her to come and talk to her in private.

"Hotaru-chan, can I talk with you for a moment," the younger girl asked, smiling politely to Yuma, before she looked back to Hotaru and waited to hear her answer.

Hotaru glanced to Yuma, as if asking if it was okay for her to leave her for a few moments in order to go and talk with Matsuri, which Yuma just nodded and smiled to, Hotaru smiling back as she nodded in return, before looking back to Matsuri again.

"Sure," the dark haired girl nodded as she smiled to Matsuri now, and let her pull her over to the side. Matsuri lowering her voice a little so that their conversation wouldn't be heard easily by any of the others passing by.

"So I'm sensing that something happened between you and Yuma-chan right?" Matsuri asked with a slight smile to Hotaru now, while Hotaru didn't even try and hide the fact that she was completely right, smiling back to Matsuri as she just shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"What would give you that idea Matsuri-chan?" the dark haired girl asked, pretending to play dumb, while Matsuri just raised an eyebrow to her now.

"I saw you two holding hands when you showed up here with Yuzu-chan and Mei-san. And by my guess you two are together now right?" Matsuri asked, already kinda guessing that she was right, Hotaru just sighing slightly as she nodded and smiled, looking back over to where Yuma stood looking at swimsuits for a moment.

"Yuzu-chan and Mei-san really helped us both to work everything out between us when we were here last time, and even though Fujiwara didn't take the news too well, I'm glad I don't feel the need to hide anything from Yuma anymore," Hotaru explained as she truly felt that even though her and Yuma were having trouble with the others students in their school knowing about them, and the fact that Fujiwara was no doubt still angry with them both. She herself was much happier and hopeful now that she and Yuma could get through it all together.

"Well it's about time I say, and I'm glad you two have finally worked it all out," Matsuri smiled as she was glad to see her old friend actually happy for once, and not hiding behind that mask of her's any longer.

"Yeah me too,"

Hotaru replied with a nod, smiling back to Matsuri now, as she looked back to her again, and thanked her for always supporting her through all this, even if they did lose contact for a little bit, but were happy that meeting Mei and Yuzu had resulted in them in being reunited again.

Meanwhile Harumin, Yuzu and Nene had already picked out the swimsuits that they liked, now all trying them on together in the girls changing room, Nene already dressed in hers as she stood waiting to see what Harumin and Yuzu's looked like. Hers being a light pink two piece, which was covered in a bright floral pattern that she had liked the look of, more excited over the fact that she was going to see the kind of swimsuits that Harumin and Yuzu had picked out, then what she had picked out for herself.

Yuzu and Harumin now stepping out from behind the curtain together, both of them looking to each other, before glancing to Nene and wondering what she thought of the swimsuits that they had chosen.

Harumin wearing a plain dark purple two piece that hugged her curves and straps that over lapped each other around her back, while Yuzu's was a two piece that had a bright design of differently coloured stripes on the back, while the front was a plain light violet.

"Nice choice Yuzucchi, it suits you," Harumin stated as she smiled to the blonde, while Yuzu smiled back to her and thanked her for the complaint.

"Thank you Harumin, and I really like the look of yours as well," Yuzu replied, as both of the girls seemed happy with the swimsuits that they had chosen, looking back to Nene now, as they heard her say something in a rather low voice.

"I think you both look great," Nene stated, smiling to the two while she was shaking slightly, trying to contain the amount of excitement she was feeling right now, not wanting to lose her composure in front of Yuzu and Harumin.

"Thanks Nene, and yours looks really cute," Yuzu said as Harumin just nodded in agreement, Nene thanking them both, before they both noticed something about the younger girl and wondered if she was okay,

"Are you cold Nene? You're shaking quite a bit,"

Harumin asked as her and Yuzu seemed a little concerned for the younger girl now, Nene thinking of just shaking her head, and continuing to keep control of herself, but then feeling like she wouldn't be able to keep her composure for much longer.

"Maybe a little, I'll quickly go and change," Nene stated in a rush as she ran to hide behind one of the curtains and calm herself down a little, while Yuzu and Harumin just looked to each other shrugging their shoulders slightly.

"So this is where you two were," the two heard a familiar voice say as they now turned and saw Mei and Himeko walk into the girls changing room, the two girls looking back to them.

"Mei, did you and Momokino-san find swimsuits that you like?" Yuzu asked smiling to her sister now, and kinda hoping that she hadn't had found a swimsuit to buy just yet.

"No we came looking for you and Taniguchi-san, and wasn't Nomura-san with you two as well?" Mei asked, while Yuzu smiled at the fact that Mei hadn't yet already picked out a swimsuit to wear to the beach, meaning that she could offer one that she had found to her instead.

"She's just getting changed right now, but since you haven't found a swimsuit just yet, I have one that you might like, so why don't you try it on?"

Yuzu asked as she now grabbed hold of Mei's hand, and took her behind one of the curtains, Mei protesting at first, but then just going along with her sister as she figured it wouldn't hurt to at least try on the one that Yuzu had picked out for her. After all she hadn't found any that she really would like to buy yet, but then she didn't really have much of taste for this kind of thing anyway.

"Were you able to find one you liked Vice Prez?" Harumin asked, as she looked to Himeko now, the other girl glaring at the fact that Yuzu had just taken Mei away from her, before she shook her head and looked back to Harumin now, trying not to let that blonde bother her too much.

"Yes I did actually, it's a checkered black and white one piece, but I haven't tried it on just yet,"

Himeko answered, gesturing to the swimsuit that she was holding under her arm right now, thinking of going behind one of the curtains and changing herself, but kinda wanting to stay and see just what Yuzu had picked out for Mei instead. Harumin just nodding to the other girl with a smile, before her and Himeko heard the changing room door open again, and seeing the other three girls from their large group all walking in.

"I was wondering where you had all wandered off to, where are Yuzu-chan, Mei-san and Nene?" Matsuri asked as she came walking in now, looking to Harumin and Himeko, and wondering where the other three girls were. While Yuma and Hotaru went to go and change into the swimsuits they had picked out for themselves.

"They're just changing and should be out in a little bit, meanwhile what swimsuit did you choose anyway Matsuri?" Harumin asked as she was feeling a little chilly now and folded her arms across her chest, rubbing her arms to keep herself warm, while she thought of going behind one of the curtains in a minute to change as well.

"I just got a white two piece that has nice looking blue flowers covering it," Matsuri stated, figuring that she should just go with something simple since all of them were going to the beach together in a few days, not wanting to buy something expensive if she was only going to wear it for this little trip they were all going on very soon.

"I'm surprised, that's oddly tame of you," Harumin smirked now slightly as she raised an eyebrow to the younger girl, causing Matsuri to just smirk back to her now.

"I'm quite surprised as well, to see you picking out, and wearing such a racy swimsuit Taniguchi-san, are you trying to impress someone?" the younger girl asked as she gestured to the dark purple two piece that Harumin was wearing, noticing the way it hugged her curves and clung to her body, barely leaving anything to the imagination.

"It's not 'racy', it just hugs my body a little," Harumin said her voice raising slightly as she glared to Matsuri now.

"Uh-huh, just a little," Matsuri nodded with a wide grin, while Harumin just folded her arms and turned away from her, not wanting to talk to her any longer it would seem.

"Yuzu I'm not sure this really suits me all that well," Mei now said as she stepped out of the curtain, Yuzu standing behind her, and all the others now looking to the dark haired girl, Himeko's eyes widening when she saw what the President was wearing right now.

"Nonsense it looks good on you, right guys?"

Yuzu asked as she looked to all the others now, while Mei stood nervously in a light green two piece that had a few faint yellow stripes that were going in a diagonal line. Being ruffled at the leg and arm holes, the material hugging her body a little, but also being loose around her shoulders and hips, looking like the swimsuit was simply sitting on where her curves were, showing off her skin, but also keeping most of her body unexposed.

"I think it looks really nice on you Mei-Mei,"

Himeko stated as she smiled and was slightly blushing over the sight of the dark haired girl in what looked like quite the well-fitting swimsuit for her. Cursing under her breath for a moment, about why it couldn't have been her that had picked it out instead of Yuzu.

"I agree it suits you quite well Mei-san," Matsuri agreed with a smile, slightly giving a thumbs up to Yuzu, telling her 'good job' on her choice of swimsuit for her girlfriend.

"You think so?"

Mei asked, looking at the two piece, not really feeling all that comfortable wearing it, but she did admit that it didn't look all that bad really, and as long as it wasn't too revealing she didn't mind all that much.

The others all just smiled and nodded to Mei now assuring her that it was a good choice for to stick with the swimsuit that Yuzu had picked out for her, rather than trying to find another one. Mei just sighing as she looked over the swimsuit again and figured that it didn't look all that bad on her, looking to Yuzu's hope-filled eyes and thought she might as well wear it then, since Yuzu had already picked it out for her.

"Fine, I guess I can wear this one,"

Mei stated now, Yuzu lighting up, and cheering happily in return as she smiled brightly to Mei, the dark haired girl just turned her head away slightly from the elder girl while a blank expression was resting on her face.

Matsuri smiled as she looked to Yuzu and Mei, thinking of commenting on something, before she noticed that Harumin was still looking to Mei, seeming a little lost for words. Matsuri smirked as she guessed that Harumin had been staring like that for a good while now, leaning into the elder girl as she spoke to her in a lowered voice.

"What's with all the staring Taniguchi-san?" Matsuri asked with a sly grin now, causing Harumin to come back to her senses as she shook her head, and looked back to Matsuri with a slight glare again.

"I wasn't staring!" Harumin raised her voice a little now, looking to Matsuri with an annoyed expression, gritting her teeth slightly and wanting to make the younger girl stop talking, and teasing her.

Matsuri just smiled back to Harumin, as she was thoroughly enjoying herself right now, finding it fun to tease the elder girl whenever she saw the option to.

While all this had been going on outside the curtains in the girls changing room, Hotaru and Yuma were behind one of the curtains, getting changed into the swimsuits that they had picked out to try on, Yuma looking to the one that Hotaru had picked out for her and sighed a little.

"Hotaru are you sure about this swimsuit that you picked out for me?" the blonde asked as she looked to Hotaru, the dark haired girl turning to her as she had already slipped on the swimsuit that she had picked out for herself.

"I think it'll look great on you Yuma-chan," Hotaru simply stated with a smile and a nod to Yuma, causing the blonde to just decide to try it on and see how it looked on her, before actually choosing to buy it or not.

Slipping the two piece on now Yuma slowly stood up straight, looking at herself in the mirror, still unsure if she liked the swimsuit or not, turning slightly to view from the side, before she froze up at the feeling of Hotaru's hand's resting on her back, and lightly caressing her skin.

"Hotaru, don't…not here," Yuma protested as she looked back to the other girl and was slightly surprised to see Hotaru just looking back to with a curious expression on her face.

"Relax Yuma-chan, I'm only going to tie the back for you," Hotaru stated, as she smiled to Yuma now, and tied the back of the top to the two piece for her.

"Oh right, thanks,"

Yuma said nervously as she blushed deeply now, feeling embarrassed for thinking that Hotaru was trying to tease her or something, when all she was doing was helping her to tie the straps at the back of her swimsuit for her.

"You're welcome Yuma-chan,"

Hotaru simply said as she smiled now, and nodded to herself when she was done tying the back of Yuma's two piece top now behind her back. Letting a small sigh leave her lips as she now wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and hugged her tightly from behind.

"Hotaru?" Yuma questioned as she looked to Hotaru now with a wondering expression, not expecting the sudden tight embrace from the other girl.

"You were right yesterday I shouldn't have gone to see Fujiwara. Sorry I made you worry," the dark haired girl apologized in a low voice, hiding her expression behind her long hair for a moment, before she lifted her head a little at the feeling of Yuma turning round in her arms, and resting a caring hand on her cheek.

"It's alright as long as you're not hurt too badly, then it doesn't matter, but I don't want you going there again got it?" Yuma now looked serious as she didn't want to see Hotaru get hurt again, knowing that that would be exactly what would happen if she did go against her words and see her ex again.

"Got it,"

Hotaru replied with a smile and a nod, before she brought Yuma into another tight hug, as they both smiled now, while holding each other close. Their loving embrace ending soon as they both decided to now leave the curtain and see what all the others thought of their swimsuits.

The others all now looking to Hotaru and Yuma, seeing them come out from behind one of the curtains, noticing that Yuma was looking very nervous, blushing a little, while Hotaru was just smiling to the blonde, reassuring her that her swimsuit looked good on her.

"Isn't this swimsuit a little revealing Hotaru?"

Yuma asked as she nervously looked to Hotaru, and covered herself a little, getting the feeling that she needed to. Her swimsuit being a white two piece that had small colourful polkadots all over it. However instead of it hugging her body, it was a little loosely hung around her neck, back and hips, Yuma feeling self-conscious and thinking that she should hold up the two piece up, even though she really didn't need to.

"Not at all, it looks cute on you Yuma-chan,"

Hotaru smiled as she looked to all the others for their opinion, the others just smiling and nodding in agreement to Hotaru. The dark haired girl's swimsuit being a plain two piece that was a sky blue colour and it being one that hugged closely to her body, being a lot like Harumin's, expect for the fact that the top didn't completely cover her chest, causing her to be showing off a little more cleavage than the other girls were.

"You see,"

Hotaru stated as she now looked back to Yuma, smiling to her again, and reassuring her that she looked good in the swimsuit she was currently wearing at the moment, and eventually being able to convince her to buy it.

The girls having now all brought the swimsuits that they had needed for their trip to the beach, all of them now agreeing on going to a nearby café for lunch together, before they would all go back to shopping for a little bit afterwards.

This day turning out to be actually quite fun for them all as it ended with them all going their separate ways, ready and looking forward to what their little trip to the beach would hold in store for them all in a few days.


	2. To The Beach

**Author's Notes: **

**I don't own Citrus or Netsuzou Trap, or any of their characters, no copyright is intended!**

 **This fic is a sequel to another story of mine called, 'Citrus Trap' so I would recommend you go and read that fic before reading this one, in order to be up to speed on everything that's happened.**

 **These are all meant to be one-shots, however this one is a sequel to the preivous one so I recommend you read the one prior before reading this one (or you can just not that's fine too).**

 **This is a crossover story with Citrus and NTR (Netsuzou Trap) by the way. ;)**

 **Warning: This contains yuri (girl x girl) pairings as well as pseudo-incest, don't like? Don't read simple, otherwise enjoy. ^_^ **

**...**

The morning sun streaked through the slightly open curtains, as its bright beams shone into Hotaru's bedroom, the light coming over to shine on Yuma's sleeping face, causing her to stir before her eyes opened and she blinked a couple of times.

Now slowly sitting up in the bed, rubbing her still tired eyes and looking to the window, she felt like cursing the bright sun for waking her up and not letting her sleep a little longer. Sighing slightly as she ran a hand through her long blonde hair slowly and then turned to her side, expecting Hotaru to be sleeping beside her there.

But her eyes widened as she was surprised to see her girlfriend was not there. Shifting her eyes as she looked all around the room her head turning to look in every direction, and when she couldn't see the other girl anywhere, she called out her name loudly,

"Hotaru!"

The blonde called out hoping that she would get an answer, but when none came she gripped tightly onto the covers and called out again, only to be met with more silence, causing her to think that something had happened to the dark haired girl while she had been asleep.

' _Hotaru's not answering me…don't tell me she's…'_ Yuma didn't get to finish her worried thought as she now heard footsteps, and jumped a little when the bedroom door opened to reveal the exact girl she had just been calling for. The dark haired girl now looking to her with a wondering expression, walking into the room as she closed the door behind her slowly.

"What are you yelling out my name for Yuma-chan?" Hotaru asked walking upto the blonde now, while Yuma just sighed with slight relief that the dark haired girl was here after all, and hadn't disappeared off somewhere without her knowing.

"Sorry…but why didn't you answer me?" Yuma asked, now calming herself down a little as she looked back to Hotaru and was glad to see that she was okay.

"I was in the bathroom, and didn't hear you at first," Hotaru simply stated now coming to sit down beside Yuma on the bed, smiling to her as she could see the blonde had just been worrying about her again, and was hoping to reassure her that everything was okay.

"Oh…right,"

Yuma replied as she spoke in a low tone now, turning back to look at the covers that she was still holding tightly in her hands, _'I shouldn't be this worried over where Hotaru may be…but I can't help it, ever since she got hurt the other day I…I don't feel right leaving her alone,'_ she thought knowing that she was worrying about things too much right now, and Hotaru was fine, but it seemed like she still had a bad feeling in the back of her mind that if she didn't protect Hotaru she would soon get hurt again.

"You know, you haven't been home once these past few days. Not that I don't like you staying with me, but your Mom might start getting suspicious if you keep spending all your nights here at my house," Hotaru stated after a short pause as she knew Yuma was worried for her, but there really was no need for her to be so troubled by all this.

"But Hotaru what if Fujiwara shows up here- Yuma started to protest, however soon getting cut off by Hotaru.

"Yuma I've been here for almost a week now and he hasn't shown up once,"

"Well maybe that's because he knows I'm here with you, but once you're alone he might-

"Are you listening to yourself Yuma?"

Hotaru asked cutting off Yuma again as she raised her voice a little, but was still looking to the blonde with a softened expression, causing Yuma to seem a little taken aback, now looking nervous as she knew she sounded like she was just being super paranoid right now, but she didn't trust Hotaru's ex to just leave the dark haired girl alone when he had already hurt her once not too long ago.

' _But then again that was when Hotaru went round to see him, and not him coming to find her,'_ Yuma thought, before her attention was caught by Hotaru again, looking to her smiling face now as she never wanted to see that smile turn into a frown ever again, hating it when she had to see her girlfriend in pain.

"You know it is okay to leave me alone Yuma-chan?" Hotaru now asked, as she sat closer to Yuma, wrapping her arms around the blonde and embracing her tightly.

"I know,"

Yuma sighed again as she closed her eyes and hugged Hotaru back, knowing that if she did leave Hotaru alone she would most probably be fine, but that didn't stop the blonde from worrying that there was also a chance that she wouldn't be fine.

However Yuma knew she couldn't keep her mind on worrying about something that may or may not happen, after all today wasn't the time for that since today was the day that her and Hotaru were going to the beach with Yuzu, Mei and all the others.

So while she pushed all her thoughts to the back of her head the blonde soon got up and dressed, eating her breakfast along with Hotaru before they needed to pack their bags and then set off for where they would be meeting everyone else later on.

…...

Early afternoon was now slowly just beginning to settle in as the shining sun still shone brightly in the blue sky. With the warm sun beating down over the beach, and the sea washing up onto the shore, Mei sat sighing slightly. Resting on one of the blankets in the shade of their umbrellas, with her knees hugged up close to her chest, as she looked out to the water and watched all the others as they all played around in the sea together like little children.

"HYAAA!"

Yuzu gave out a loud, surprised squeal, feeling the cold water of the sea soaking her, tensing up as she stood shivering for a moment, before turning around slowly and looking to the culprit who had just splashed her.

"Matsuri, the water's freezing! Why'd you splash me like that?" the blonde asked in a raised voice to the younger girl, who was now standing beside her in the sea.

"Sorry Yuzu-chan you weren't the one I was aiming for, you just happen to be in the way," Matsuri stated as she smiled innocently to Yuzu, and then turned to her original target, standing opposite her stood Nene as she smiled nervously back to the middle schooler, knowing now that she shouldn't have ducked out of the way of Matsuri's attack.

A wide grin now forming on her lips Matsuri was ready to soak the girl that had gotten away from her, however Nene sensing that she was in trouble now and so quickly decided to turn tail and run away from Yuzu and Matsuri.

"Come back here, you're not getting away from me again!"

Matsuri called to Nene as she chased after her, the two soon engaging in a fierce water battle, as they splashed the cold sea water over each other. Yuzu now smiling as she watched them from afar, deciding to keep her distance as she didn't want to get caught up in their little water fight.

Sighing and shaking her head a little Yuzu looked away from the two, glancing over across the beach and looked to where her younger was sitting and watching them all, knowing that she would rather not be here right now, but happy that she had agreed to come along with everyone anyway today, even if it was just to stop the blonde from pestering her about it.

"Look out Yuzu-chan!"

The blonde heard one of the other girls call out to her now, as her attention was taken off her sister for a moment, looking to where the voice had come from, before she now looked to see a beach ball heading right for her, quickly dodging out of the way just before it hit her. Covering her head with her arms and closing her eyes as she braced for impact, only to open her eyes again and sigh with relief as she realized she had moved out of the way just in time.

"Sorry Yuzu-chan," Hotaru now apologized as she came running over to Yuzu, picking up the beach ball, glad that the blonde girl hadn't gotten hurt at all.

"Hotaru, I told you to not throw it that hard," Yuma now stated as she came walking over to Yuzu as well, standing with her arms folded as she scolded her girlfriend for sending the beach ball flying so far.

"It wasn't my fault, the waves took it further than where I threw it originally," Hotaru said innocently to Yuma, now smiling nervously to her girlfriend, while Yuzu just chuckled slightly to the two, before they both looked back to her with slight smiles.

"Hey you wanna play with us too Yuzu-chan?" Hotaru asked Yuzu as she changed the subject, and caused Yuma to scold her again for doing so, while Yuzu thought for a moment and then agreed to the dark haired girl's offer.

"Yeah sure,"

Yuzu replied with a nod as she smiled to Hotaru and Yuma, happy to see that the two of them were still being their regular self's even with all the stuff that was going on for them with school, and Hotaru's ex-boyfriend still, guessing that this little trip might just be the escape that the two of them needed for a bit.

The three starting to play a game of catch with the beach ball all together now, as they hit the ball to one another happily, while Matsuri and Nene were still off chasing and splashing each other with the cold water of the sea, all of them seeming to be having an enjoyable time so far.

"Come on Vice Prez, you've got to join in on the fun as well," Harumin stated as she pulled Himeko up from the blanket that she had been sitting on beside Mei, dragging her off to the sea, while Mei just watched on with a blank expression.

"But I want to stay with the President, not play in the sea with you all," Himeko whined, fighting back, but all her protests falling on deaf ears it would seem as Harumin continued to just pull her closer to the sea, calling to the others and asking if her and the girl she was dragging could join in the game of catch as well.

Yuzu, Hotaru and Yuma all nodded in reply as they all started to throw the beach ball to each other again, Himeko wanting to go back over to where Mei was, but reluctantly going along with the game since it seemed like Harumin wasn't going to let her escape from it now unfortunately.

As the four girls all began to play catch with the beach ball together, Yuma smiled slightly looking over to Hotaru as she gazed to the dark haired girl's smiling face, while she hit the beach ball a little too hard again, causing Yuzu to have to go after it.

"Again Hotaru-chan you've gotta start being softer with your throws,"

Harumin stated as she looked to Hotaru with a raised eyebrow, resting her hands on her hips, and sighing when she figured that the dark haired girl was simply just enjoying herself a little too much, getting carried away in this simple game of catch.

"Sorry, sorry, I think the wind is working against me," Hotaru apologized as she smiled nervously to Harumin, not actually meaning to throw the ball as hard as she did. Her eyes looking to Himeko as a curious expression formed onto her face, "Hey where's Momokino-san going?" the dark haired girl asked as she noticed Himeko quickly now walking away from them all.

Upon hearing that Harumin quickly turned around and looked to find that Himeko was trying to make a quick escape back to the shore, while she had been distracted for a moment, "And just where do you think you're going? Don't go running off back to the sand like that!" she called after Himeko as she chased after her, and tried to get her back to continue playing ball with them all.

Chuckling slightly Hotaru just sighed a little, while Yuma looked to her with another smile, however a frown now slowly formed on her lips as her eyes glanced down to Hotaru's side, and she looked to where there was now a faded bruise there still, obviously it was healing, and wasn't all that noticeable anymore. But still it caused for Yuma to become worried again those thoughts she had earlier now coming round to the front of her mind again, as she gritted her teeth a little.

' _I know Hotaru is fine now, and that bruise of her's is barely even visible so it's clear that Fujiwara didn't hurt her too badly, but I can't shake the worrying feeling I still have that he will try and hurt her again. I know she's probably right in saying that I don't need to worry about leaving her alone so much…but if that's true then I need to think of a way to calm my suspicions, so that maybe I can finally get this all out of my head and stop dreading over it so much,'_ Yuma thought as she wondered if there was some way for her to make sure that Fujiwara wasn't going to hurt Hotaru again, so that way she wouldn't feel the need to be so overprotective of her anymore.

Hotaru chuckling again slightly as she watched Harumin drag Himeko back over to them all by the arm, not giving her much of a choice in the matter it seemed, while Yuzu now came running back over with beach ball in hand, calling to all the others and was ready to throw the ball around some more.

However as Hotaru now turned back to Yuma to get her attention she saw that the blonde seemed to be in deep thought over something. Looking to her with a wondering expression Hotaru got the feeling that Yuma was probably worrying about things again, a smile forming on her lips now as she thought of something that may just work in taking Yuma's mind off of her own worries right now.

"Hey Yuma-chan,"

Hotaru now moved closer to Yuma as she stood with her arms behind her back for a moment, smiling to her girlfriend innocently, while Yuma now looked back to her nervously, snapping herself out of her spacing out state.

"Huh? What is it Hotaru?"

Yuma asked pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind again, as she now forced a smile and looked back to Hotaru, trying to seem like she wasn't being bothered by anything right now, while it was already obvious to the dark haired girl that she clearly was.

"Could you close your eyes for a moment?" Hotaru requested making herself sound as innocent as possible as she was putting her idea into action now.

"Close my eyes, what for?"

Yuma questioned with a raised eyebrow, wondering just what Hotaru was going to do once she did close her eyes, and knowing her girlfriend she had reason to be a little weary of such a request coming from her.

"It'll only be for a second I promise," Hotaru stated avoiding Yuma's question a little as she now looked to the blonde with a pleading expression, causing Yuma just roll her eyes and shrug her shoulders slightly now, before deciding to give in.

"Fine, but if you try anything here-

"That isn't what this is about Yuma-chan, I swear,"

Hotaru stated cutting off Yuma, causing the blonde to narrow her eyes a little, before she sighed and closed them slowly now, hoping that whatever Hotaru was going to do wouldn't be too bad, guessing that maybe she was just going to kiss her or something simple like that, but what happened next was something she never would have expected.

Feeling Hotaru's hands rest on either one of her shoulders, and preparing herself for what was to come, only to suddenly be pushed down under the water by Hotaru a moment later. Her eyes now snapping open as she realized that Hotaru had just ducked her head under the water for some reason. However letting go of her shoulders a second later, as Yuma now came back out of the water and gasped for air, even though she hadn't been under the water for all that long in order to run out of breath just yet.

"Hotaru what the hell did you do that for, are you trying to drown me?!" Yuma scolded Hotaru in a raised voice, causing all the others to now look over to the two of them, wondering what was going on, while Hotaru just stood smiling to Yuma.

"You were looking lost in thought, so I ducked your head under the water to clear your mind a little," Hotaru simply stated, knowing that it wasn't good for Yuma to be troubling herself with worrying this much about something that wasn't worth worrying over really, so simply doing this to her to take her mind off of it for a bit.

"'Clear my mind' just what do you mean by that?" Yuma asked her voice quieter now, as she still didn't get just what Hotaru was trying to do by pushing her under the water like that all of a sudden.

"Look you do it to me too, Yuma-chan" Hotaru simply instructed as she closed her eyes and smiled, waiting to have the same thing done to her that she had just done to Yuma a second ago.

Yuma was going to protest before she looked to Hotaru and just sighed slightly, wondering just where all this was coming from, now resting her hands on Hotaru's shoulders and taking a deep breath. Pushing the dark haired girl under the water the next second and then removing her hands as she let Hotaru come back up and out of the water again.

"See it's refreshing right?"

Hotaru asked as she smiled to Yuma brightly and shivered a little from the cold water. Yuma still not getting what Hotaru was trying to do at first, as she was going to question just what the hell was she thinking, until she looked to Hotaru's smiling face and realized something her eyes widening a little, before just smiling slightly a moment later.

' _Now I see…she was simply just trying to take my mind off of my thoughts for a bit by doing that just now. Hotaru's right I shouldn't be focusing on my own worries right now, I should just be enjoying myself while being here with everyone else,'_ Yuma thought now smiling as she nodded back to Hotaru, causing the dark haired girl to breathe a sigh of relief as it seemed her method to turn Yuma's attention away from her worries had worked, smiling back to the blonde now happily.

The two chuckling with each other for a moment, before Yuma looked to Hotaru again and her eyes widened upon realizing something that she didn't see before, her eyes glancing down as she only now just noticed that Hotaru's chest was exposed,

"H-Hotaru your top…" Yuma stuttered a little, a slight blush beginning to cover her cheeks as Hotaru looked down to her chest and widened her eyes, before looking back to Yuma again with a smile.

"It must have slipped off when you pushed me under the water, maybe you were being a little too rough with me Yuma-chan," Hotaru stated covering her bare chest with an arm now, as she looked around for where her top had gone, soon spotting it and pointing over to it floating away from them slowly.

"I wasn't being rough, and you're the one that did it to me first Hotaru," Yuma raised her voice a little as she quickly went to go and get Hotaru's top, coming back over to the dark haired girl with it, and hurriedly slipped it back on to cover her girlfriend's breasts again, Hotaru just smiling back to the blonde and thanking her in return, glad that Yuma seemed to not be thinking about her worries anymore now.

All the others looking to Hotaru and Yuma with slight smiles, before Harumin just sighed and shook her head slowly, "Come on Vice Prez, let's go join them, we don't want to be missing out on all the fun after all," she said still dragging Himeko along with her, while it seemed like the other girl had given up a little on fighting back now, guessing that she might as well just go and continue to play with the others since it didn't seem like she had much of a choice, although she was thinking of finding a way to run back to the shore again in order to sit with Mei on the sand again.

Yuzu began to follow Harumin and Himeko back to the other two, before she stopped and looked back to the beach, glancing to her younger sister who was still sitting on the blankets under the cool shade of the umbrellas. The blonde thinking for a minute, being pulled out of her thoughts when she hear her name being called.

"Yuzucchi are you coming?" Harumin asked now stopping and looking back to Yuzu with a wondering expression, while Himeko was doing the same forgetting that she might be missing her chance here to get away.

"You go on ahead, I'll catch up okay?" Yuzu answered with a smile, before she turned on her heel and quickly ran out of the sea, making her way over to where her sister was sitting now.

"Okay,"

Harumin replied seeming a little confused, as she watched Yuzu run off to go and talk to her sister, before she just shrugged her shoulders and continued to walk towards Hotaru and Yuma, dragging Himeko along with her still, while Matsuri and Nene seemed have called a truce and were running over to come play ball with them all as well now.

Meanwhile Yuzu now came running over to her sister, smiling down to her as she waved to her to get her attention, Mei just glancing back up at her with a blank stare, before she then looked back to all the others and continued to watch them all throw the beach ball to each other.

"Aren't you coming to join in with us Mei?" Yuzu asked, looking to where Mei's gaze was and wondering if she wanted to play with them all as well.

"No thank you, I'm fine with just sitting here and watching," Mei simply stated not looking to Yuzu as she just stared out to the shore still, watching as the others all played and laughed together. Yuzu now sitting down beside her sister on the blanket, as she sighed slightly and looked to Mei with a bright smile.

"What is it?" Mei asked as she now felt Yuzu's eyes on her, glancing to her sister, and wondering what she was smiling at her like that for.

"Nothing, I just thought since we came to the beach to have fun together, that you would want to join in with the rest of us, instead of just sitting here by yourself," Yuzu explained sitting with her legs outstretched on the sand as she still smiled to Mei, hoping that she could find some sort of way to get her sister to agree to join them in the sea somehow.

"I prefer to sit and watch like this, rather than to go in the sea with the rest of you all," Mei simply answered.

"Why, can't you swim Mei?" Yuzu asked wondering why Mei preferred to sit here by herself instead of being and having fun with all of them at a place like the beach.

"It's not that," Mei simply answered shaking her head, going silent for a moment as she now finished what she was going to say in a lowered voice, her vision seeming to be completely on the sea now, "I've just never been to a place like this before," she stated sighing slightly now, and leaned back a little, letting go of her knees and resting her hands on the blanket she was sitting on at the moment.

"'A place like this'…you mean you've never been to the beach before now Mei?" Yuzu asked her tone now sounding slightly surprised as although she knew Mei had had quite the different childhood from her, she thought that she would have at least had her Dad take her to the beach when she was little or something.

Mei simply just nodded, "My Dad was never home very much, and my Grandfather was often very busy so I didn't go many places as a child. So yes this is my first time coming to the beach," she said still speaking in a low tone, but Yuzu noticing that she didn't seem upset or anything right now, in fact she seemed like she was simply enjoying just sitting while being here looking out to the water.

' _Mei's never been to the beach before? I knew she was isolated a lot as a kid, but…to think that this is her first time coming here is a little surprising to say the least,'_ Yuzu thought looking to Mei with a curious expression, wondering if she was actually enjoying her time here with them all right now.

"Well since this is your first time here, how is it?" Yuzu asked now causing Mei to look back to her slightly, the younger girl turning to the blonde for a moment before she answered.

"It's nice,"

Mei just simply answered as she looked back to all the others playing in the sea again, closing her eyes for a moment as she felt the cool breeze against her exposed skin, making her want to hug her knees to her chest again, but refraining from doing so straight away.

A silence now falling between the two as Yuzu thought for a moment, still wanting to get Mei to agree to coming to play in the sea with them all, but not knowing how exactly she was going to make the idea sound appealing to the younger girl.

Knowing that she was completely fine with continuing to sit on the sand and watch from afar, however Yuzu didn't feel right leaving Mei here by herself, while all of them would be off having fun together, she wanted Mei to be included with them all. And as she thought about that she now looked to Mei again, smiling slightly, moving closer to her sister.

Slowly resting her hand over Mei's Yuzu was able to get her sister's attention again, as Mei now turned to look to her, glancing down to their hands, before she looked back to Yuzu with a slightly raised eyebrow now.

"Mei I want you to come and play catch with us all," Yuzu simply stated, smiling kindly to her sister and hoping that she would agree to her offer, but Mei just stared back to the blonde with a blank stare still.

"Yuzu I already said that I-

"I know, I know, but I don't want you to just stay here all by yourself," Yuzu said cutting off Mei, as she stood up from the sand now and stretched a little, turning round to face Mei, now reaching out a hand for her to take, smiling down to her happily.

"Besides wouldn't it be better to come and join in on all the fun you can see us having instead of just sitting and watching it all?" the blonde asked her kind expression now turning into a slightly pleading one, as she really wanted Mei to come and be included in all their fun, after all she wanted them all to enjoy their time here together, and didn't want to leave Mei here by herself, since she felt the younger girl would then be missing out a little.

Mei looked to Yuzu with a blank stare and was going to just decline her offer, before she glanced to the other girls all playing in the sea, and thought that the simple game of catch that they were all playing together did seem like it could be enjoyable. Now looking back to Yuzu again and sighing upon seeing the blonde's pleading expression, caving now as she reached out her hand grabbed hold of Yuzu's.

Yuzu now lightening up as she smiled to Mei and pulled her up from the sand, holding onto her hand tightly now, before she turned round and started to lead her to the sea, calling over to all the others, and catching their attention as they all turned to Yuzu, and smiled when they saw her walking into the sea along with Mei following behind her slowly. All of them then playing a long game of catch with the beach ball, all having fun and laughing with each other until they had begun to get a little tired and decided to leave the sea for a little while, and go have some treats instead.

…...

It was now late afternoon as all the girls sat together at one of the family picnic tables that where off to the side of the beach, all of them now happily eating flavoured shaved ice to cool themselves down after being tired from playing in the sea for so long.

All the girls enjoying their cold desserts, while Yuzu clenched her teeth together as she tensed up, and held her head in one hand, feeling a slight pain running through her nerves as she tried to endure the sensation of her brain 'freezing' from all the ice.

"What's wrong Yuzucchi, did you eat it too fast?" Harumin asked, looking to the blonde with a slight smile, while Yuzu now sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead feeling the freezing sensation slowly reducing thankfully.

"Yeah I think so," Yuzu answered as she recovered slowly, looking to her shaved ice again, and thinking it was better to eat it much slower now.

"Here you wanna try mine?" Harumin asked as she now scoped up a bit of her shaved ice on her spoon, and then held it out for Yuzu to try, smiling to her as she offered a bit of her treat to Yuzu.

"Sure,"

Yuzu nodded as she leaned closer to Harumin and happily ate the shaved ice that the other girl had just offered her, smiling and licking her lips as she clearly enjoyed it, "It's delicious!" she stated, before she looked to her's and offered a bit to Harumin. Harumin happily accepting Yuzu's offer a moment later.

The two girls then turning to Nene as they heard her give out a high-pitched squeal, causing Matsuri to cover her ears as she glared to the elder girl slightly now. While Yuzu and Harumin looked to each other, before looking back to Nene again and wondering if she was okay.

"Umm… are you okay Nene-chan?" Yuzu asked with a nervous expression.

"Oh yes, I'm fine Yuzu-Senpai," Nene stated as she smiled to Yuzu and Harumin trying to contain herself, while her body shook with excitement. Yuzu now looking a little worried as her eyes widened and she noticed something about the younger girl.

"Nene-chan your nose is bleeding a little," Yuzu pointed out, while Nene just picked up a napkin and wiped her nose, assuring Yuzu that she was fine, and there was no need for her to worry at all quickly trying to regain her composure that she had just lost for a few moments there.

"Here try some of mine Yuma-chan,"

Hotaru stated as she held out her spoon for Yuma and smiled to her girlfriend, Yuma being a little nervous at first, before she accepted Hotaru's offer and ate the shaved ice off of the spoon, tasting the flavour and smiling slightly back to the dark haired girl now.

"It's yummy, do you wanna have some of mine Hotaru?" Yuma asked as she offered some of her's to the dark haired girl and Hotaru happily accepted in return.

Himeko seeing all this going on and looked to her own shaved ice, thinking for a moment, while glancing to the President sitting beside her, and smiling now. Scooping up some of her shaved ice onto her spoon and turning to Mei now with a polite smile.

"Would you like to try some of mine Mei-Mei?" Himeko asked as she offered a bit of her dessert to Mei, thinking that she could get one step ahead of Yuzu with this, however Mei simply just stared to Himeko blankly, before she shook her head and declined her offer.

"No thank you, I don't like that flavour very much," Mei simply answered, before she tuned back to her own shaved ice and continued to eat it, while Himeko nervously just put her spoon back into her cup of shaved ice now.

"Ah I see,"

Himeko stated seeming a little disheartened for a moment, Yuzu noticing this and looking to her sister now, knowing that she shouldn't offer any of her shaved ice to Mei since she knew Mei would simply do the same to her and decline, but would then be angry at her later for doing that sort of thing in front of all the others.

"That wasn't very nice Mei,"

Yuzu stated, scolding her sister a little, while Mei just simply looked back to Yuzu with a blank stare, raising her eyebrow to the blonde almost as if to say 'Did you want me to accept her offer?' before she repeated that she didn't like the flavour that Himeko had and so didn't want to try it but did appreciate the offer which did seem to make Himeko smile and cheer up a little now.

The girls now all starting to talk to each other happily about the fun day they had had together, and wondering if they should soon start heading home since it would be getting dark after a little while longer, plus the tide would start to come in as well.

Jumping slightly Yuma heard her phone ringing inside her bag, quickly apologizing to the rest of the group, as she smiled nervously and left the table to go and see just who was calling her right now. Quickly walking over to her bag and reaching inside to pull her phone out, answering it and waiting to hear the other person talk, her eyes now widening as she heard a familiar voice on the other line.

"Right shall we start to head off now then?" Yuzu asked all the others as they were all finishing off their desserts now, and Yuzu figured since the sun would soon begin to set they might as well start heading back home, however it seemed like Matsuri had other plans as she jumped up from her seat.

"Aww come on Yuzu-chan, let's all go for one more swim before we have to leave," the middle schooler suggested as she, Harumin and Nene were ready to dive back into the water again it seemed as they all left the table, Yuzu smiling as she sighed and guessed that it wouldn't matter much if they all stayed for a little while longer.

"Alright, one more swim sounds like a good idea actually,"

Yuzu stated as she started to follow after Matsuri, Harumin and Nene as they all cheered, and ran off to the sea again, Himeko walking to follow after the other three girls as she thought she might as well make her own way there instead of getting dragged along again, plus she guessed Mei was going to be coming with them all now, so she didn't have much of a reason to stay behind this time.

Looking back now Yuzu saw Mei still sitting at the table and was going to ask her to come along, only to stop when she noticed that Hotaru was still at the table as well, most likely just waiting for Yuma to come back from her phone call.

Walking back over to the table again now, Yuzu came to stand beside Hotaru and smiled to her slightly, Hotaru just smiling back to the blonde as she looked back up at her, "What is it Yuzu-chan?" she asked wondering if Yuzu was coming over to talk to her or something now.

"It's nothing really…" Yuzu paused as she thought for a moment, before continuing on with what she was saying, obviously having something on her mind right now.

"…I was just wondering if you and Yuma-chan are going to be alright now," she stated her smile now forming into a nervous one, as she knew that things had been okay since the two girls had ended up at their front door with Hotaru hurt a few nights ago, but as far as she and Mei knew Hotaru and Yuma still hadn't been to school yet, and there still was the threat of Hotaru's ex-boyfriend to worry about.

"Yuzu nothing's happened since they came to spend the night at our house a while back," Mei stated, knowing that Yuzu was getting a little worried now when she really didn't need to.

"I know, but I'm not sure how long it will be before we get to see them again, and what if something happens during then?" Yuzu explained her worries, a little scared that the next time they would see Hotaru and Yuma again would be because one of them was hurt or something else worrying had happened to them.

"Don't worry Yuzu-chan we'll be fine,"

Hotaru smiled as she tried to reassure Yuzu and tell her not to worry, having confidence that she and Yuma would be able to find some way to work everything out with the school and Fujiwara, thinking that it would just take a little time for them to get it all sorted out.

"Are you sure?"

Yuzu asked as she didn't seem all that convinced that things would be okay from here on out, Hotaru going to answer and reassure the blonde that everything would be fine, but was cut off before she could even open her mouth.

"It'll be okay Yuzu-chan, there's nothing for you to worry about," Yuma stated as she now came walking back upto the table standing beside Hotaru, and smiling to Yuzu happily, seeming like all her worries from earlier today were now gone all of a sudden.

"How can you be sure Yuma-chan?" Yuzu asked nervously, a little surprised that Yuma seemed to be dealing with this almost as well as Hotaru was now, when the other day she couldn't be more worried about it all.

"Because a couple of days ago when Hotaru and I went back to her's, I asked Takeda to try and talk some sense into Fujiwara, and he just called me up now to tell me that he had finally been able to get through to him," Yuma explained with a smile, now clearly feeling like she didn't have to worry all that much anymore, and could just work on what was happening with the other students in the school, including her friends, rather than just thinking about what Fujiwara might do next.

"What do you mean Yuma-chan?" Hotaru asked, her eyes widening a little as she wasn't sure if Yuma was actually telling them what she thought she was telling them right now. Having not known about Yuma asking Takeda to talk to Fujiwara before now.

"Well let's just say that I'm pretty sure Fujiwara won't be bothering me or you again anytime soon Hotaru, and as it turns out he was hiding some secret feelings of his own as well," Yuma simply stated with a smile to her girlfriend as Hotaru stood up from the table and now, smiling back to the blonde, and wrapping her arms around Yuma hugging her tightly, Yuma hugging her back a moment later.

Yuzu smiling now as she looked to the hugging couple, being happy for them now that they had one less problem to deal with, but then thinking and frowning as there was still their other problems to worry about.

"But what about school, you two haven't gone back yet have you?" Yuzu asked nervously, while Yuma and Hotaru now looked back to her and shook their heads slightly, knowing that while Fujiwara might not that much of a worry for them anymore there was still a few other troubles that they had to work through.

"I'm sure we can find a way to work it all out, just as long as we can get through it together, right Yuma-chan?" Hotaru said after a short pause, smiling upto Yuma, while the blonde just smiled back to the dark haired girl and nodded in return,

"Right. Besides we're not going to let anyone stand in our way of being happy anymore," Yuma stated, knowing that they both still had things to sort out once they got back home, but was hopeful that they would be able to get through it all in the end even if it would show to take some time.

Yuzu smiling now as she sighed with relief, happy that it seemed like things just might be looking up for Hotaru and Yuma now, and was glad to see that they still wanted to fight to be happy with each other no matter what troubles they came across.

"You two coming for one last swim then?" Yuzu now asked with a smile, as Hotaru and Yuma just nodded to her in reply, before they started to head off to the sea and started to join in with the others that were already there. Yuzu now looking back to Mei as she was still sitting at the table.

Looking to her with a wondering expression Yuzu walked closer to Mei now and smiled to her, "You coming Mei?" she asked as Mei just stared blankly back up to her, the younger girl simply slowly nodding in return as she stood up from the table and took Yuzu's hand, looking to her with a softened expression, while Yuzu beamed back to her happily.

The two then quickly making their way back into the sea where all the others were playing joining in on the fun, while it turned out that this little trip had been quite enjoyable for everyone involved after all, glad that they were all able to go on it, and couldn't wait till the next time they could all hang out and spend their time together once again, having a strong feeling that it would be just as exciting and entertaining then, as today had been for all of them.


	3. Hot Springs Adventure

**Author's Notes: **

**I don't own Citrus or Netsuzou Trap, or any of their characters, no copyright is intended!**

 **This fic is a sequel to another story of mine called, 'Citrus Trap' so I would recommend you go and read that fic before reading this one, in order to be up to speed on everything that's happened.**

 **This is a crossover story with Citrus and NTR (Netsuzou Trap) by the way. ;)**

 **Warning: This contains yuri (girl x girl) pairings as well as pseudo-incest, don't like? Don't read simple, otherwise enjoy. ^_^ **

**...**

Yuzu happily skipped through the aisles of the clothing mall, stopping every so often to look at the different stores that were filled with summer clothes right now, wondering if she should buy a few or not, before she would then be dragged away from said clothing store by her younger sister, and then reminded that they hadn't come here to look at new clothes.

The two having been called to meet at the café here by Matsuri today for some reason unknown to them, as Yuzu walked in front while Mei walked slower behind with her arms folded, sighing as coming here most certainly hadn't been her plan for today, but she just hoped that whatever Matsuri had wanted them here for would be over and done with soon enough and she could go back home once this was all over and done with.

"So what do you think Matsuri called us both here for anyway?" Yuzu asked making conversation as she looked back to her younger sister with a smile knowing that she would much rather not be here right now, guessing that Mei had only tagged along just to see what Matsuri had planned for them this time.

"How should I know?"

Mei simply asked back in a low voice, shrugging her shoulders and sounding uninterested as she continued to look in front of her, giving Yuzu a blank stare and causing her to smile to her nervously now, the two of them falling into a little bit of a silence as they now just kept walking to where their destination was.

"Whatever it is I'm sure it won't take that long. We'll be back home before you know it okay?" Yuzu tried to lighten up Mei's sour mood a little as she smiled to her brightly now, and even though she herself wasn't sure how long exactly they would be here for, or whether they were going to be allowed to go home anytime soon or not. But deciding to stay positive anyway for the time being.

"If you say so,"

Mei replied after a short pause, reluctantly continuing to follow her elder sister through the mall, letting out another sigh as she now let both of her arms drop to rest at her sides, hoping that what Yuzu said was true, but having a strong feeling that it wasn't.

Another silence now falling between the two sisters, as they both walked a little faster in order to get to the café quicker and find out just what Matsuri had called them here for, hoping that whatever it was it wouldn't last that long for them.

Yuzu nervously looking back and forth from Mei to the direction that she was walking in, wanting to start another conversation, and hopefully get her girlfriend to not look so displeased by all this, knowing that the younger girl would have backed out of this if it weren't for her practically begging for her to come along and just see what Matsuri wanted, promising that she could go back home once it was all over and done with.

However now regretting what she had said in order to get Mei to come here, having no idea if Matsuri was going to keep them here for long or not. The blonde sighed a little as she couldn't find anything that might interest her younger sister in staying, guessing that Mei was basically on the verge of just walking away from all this and heading home right now.

Now lifting her head a little and looking back to where they were headed, Yuzu's eyes widened as she saw the café that they were supposed to be meeting Matsuri at only now slightly ahead of them, smiling with relief as she looked back to Mei for a moment and caught the younger girl's attention.

"Look there's the café!"

The blonde stated happily, pointing to where the small café inside the mall was, before she picked up speed and started to quickly make her over there, hoping that all would be okay once Matsuri told them what she had wanted from them, and then they could just go back home and carry on their day as normal. At least that's what she hoped for.

"Yuzu slow down, you're going to run into someone,"

Mei called after Yuzu as she too picked up her speed a little more, but was being much more careful than her elder sister, being sure to not bump into any of the other people walking past, but also trying to keep up with the fast pace that Yuzu had at the moment.

Now coming to the café Yuzu stopped and looked around for the middle schooler that had called them here, scanning all the tables for the pink haired girl, but seeing her nowhere so far as she looked back to Mei and saw her just coming to catch up with her now.

"Don't just suddenly start running off like that," Mei scolded Yuzu in a low voice, glaring to the blonde slightly, while Yuzu stood with a nervous smile back to her.

"Sorry, I just wanted to try and get here a little faster,"

"So where is Matsuri anyway?" Mei asked just rolling her eyes and deciding to let it slide for now, looking around the café, and upon not seeing Matsuri anywhere wondered where she was.

"Umm…I'm not sure, maybe she's not here just yet," Yuzu nervously stated as she now started to walk through the small café, still looking around for Matsuri, while Mei followed close behind her doing the same.

"Why did she ask us to come here, if she's not even here herself then?" Mei asked cursing under her breath as she now had an annoyed expression on her face, Yuzu smiling to her nervously as she tried to keep the younger girl from just turning her back and leaving right now.

"I'm sure she'll be here any minute now, meanwhile let's find a table for us to sit and wait at for the time being," Yuzu suggested as she didn't give Mei much of a chance to reply, grabbing her hand and pulling her over to where a few empty tables were quickly. Mei glaring to her sister for suddenly pulling her like that, starting to scold her again, while Yuzu nervously smiled and looked around for Matsuri to come quickly and save her.

"Yuzu-Senpai!"

Yuzu's eyes widened as she heard a familiar voice calling to her now, Mei distracted from telling the blonde off for a moment as the two looked all around from where the voice had just come from. Yuzu smiling upon seeing the person who had called out her name sitting at one of the tables in the back of the café, and recognizing her almost immediately.

"What are they doing here?" Mei asked as she looked over to where the voice had come from as well, and now saw Nene and Himeko sitting at one of the tables in the café, wondering just what they were both doing here together.

"Let's go ask them,"

Yuzu simply shrugged as she now smiled and tugged on Mei's hand, not pulling her this time as she knew she would only get scolded again. Mei just sighing as she followed after Yuzu, the two letting go of each other's hands once they got to the table that Nene and Himeko were sitting at.

"What are you two doing here?" Himeko asked as Mei and Yuzu now came walking upto the table, Nene smiling to Yuzu and greeting her happily, while Yuzu smiled back to the younger girl kindly.

"We were just about to ask you the same question," Yuzu stated as she was glad that someone had saved her, even if it hadn't had been the person she had been originally thinking of.

"Did Matsuri call you two as well and ask to meet you here?" Mei asked, getting the feeling that she kinda knew where this was going now that Himeko and Nene were here as well, guessing that it wouldn't be long before Harumin also showed up most probably.

"Err…yeah, how did you know?" Himeko asked, seeming a little surprised that Mei had guessed completely right, Mei just sighing as she now came to sit down beside Himeko at the table.

"Because she did the same with Yuzu and me,"

Mei stated as she rested her head in her hands for a moment, Yuzu coming to sit down beside Nene and just smiled nervously to Mei, guessing that since it wasn't just her and Mei that Matsuri had called here, it most probably meant that they would no doubt be staying here much longer than she had first hoped they would.

"So do you two have any idea why Matsuri called us here?" Yuzu asked now looking to Nene again, hoping to get some answers, but Nene and Himeko only shook their heads in unison, seeming that neither of them knew what they had been called here for either.

"Well by my guess since she's called all of us here, it's most probably going to be for another one of her annoying little tricks," Mei thought out loud, not removing her head from her hands, as she really regretted coming here now, knowing that they no doubt wouldn't be leaving anytime soon unfortunately. Yuzu just looking back to Mei with a slight smile, Himeko doing the same as she understood Mei's irritated mood, and felt the same as her.

"Have you two been waiting here long?" Yuzu asked Himeko now, turning to look to her instead, as she also kept an eye out for Matsuri maybe showing up at any moment at the same time.

"Not really, we've only been here for about ten minutes or so," Himeko answered now propping herself up on her elbow and also sighing slightly, only having come here because Matsuri had told her that Mei would be coming as well, guessing that Harumin had been the one to give the middle schooler her number in order to call her up this morning.

"And we were starting to wonder where Matsuri is since we can't find her anywhere here,"

Nene added having been persuaded by Matsuri to come here simply because she said that Yuzu and Harumin were going to be tagging along as well, now not entirely regretting her decision to come here since Yuzu had shown up, which meant that Matsuri wasn't just lying to her for fun, but still being slightly weary of all this, along with the others since none of them yet knew why they had all been called here in the first place.

"Yeah we were just wondering about the same thing," Yuzu stated nodding to Nene, all of them now wanting Matsuri to show up so that they wouldn't have to wonder just what they were all here for anymore.

And luckily it didn't seem like they had to wait much longer, as with another sigh from them all, the group of four girls all soon heard their names being called out loudly, causing all of them to look to where the voice had come from and widened their eyes once they saw the exact girl who they had all be waiting for now waving and smiling to them all, as she came walking over with Harumin following behind her.

"I'm glad to see you all made it here," Matsuri now stated as she greeted all the others and smiled nervously when she saw Mei lift up her head and glare to her, knowing that she had probably been keeping them all waiting for a while now.

"Matsuri where were you?" Yuzu asked what all the others were thinking, before she noticed Harumin and greeted her with a smile. Harumin just smiling back to her and coming to sit down beside the blonde now as she sighed deeply.

"Sorry, I was meant to get here sooner, but I had a hard time dragging Taniguchi-san out of bed since it seemed like she just wouldn't get up this morning," Matsuri explained as she gestured to Harumin, causing all the others to look to the brown haired girl now. Harumin just rolling her tired eyes as she glared back to the younger girl.

"Well what do you expect since you're the one that's been calling me non-stop through the night, I was barely able to get any sleep at all these past couple of days thanks to you," Harumin seemed annoyed as she obviously still looked tired and would have much rather preferred to stay at home and get some more sleep, but of course Matsuri had had other plans for her.

"That's because you wouldn't answer me back,"

"I kept telling you that I was tired and to leave me alone, but you still kept calling my phone every hour to ask me the same damn question that I had already said no to countless times," Harumin raised her voice now as she slammed her fist down on the table in anger, and almost looked like she was ready to start a fight with Matsuri, being way past overtired by now.

Yuzu smiling nervously as she rested her hand on Harumin's arm and reminded her that it wouldn't be good to lose it at Matsuri right now since they were still in the café and would make a scene. Harumin taking a deep breath and sitting back in her seat, folding her arms and just looking away from all the others now.

"Whatever, I'm not talking to you anymore,"

"Aww come on Taniguchi-san don't be so cold towards me like that," Matsuri whined as she looked to Harumin with a pout, while Harumin just sat biting her bottom lip and keeping her head turned away from the middle schooler.

"Matsuri what exactly did you call all of us here for?"

Mei now asked getting impatient, and wanted to know just what this was all about already, the others all kinda glad that the President had made Matsuri and Harumin stop arguing for now, as Matsuri seemed to leave the brown haired girl alone and instead looked to Mei now.

"I'm glad you asked Mei-san," Matsuri smiled to Mei now, getting a glare from the elder girl, and just brushing it off before she continued on with her explanation, "You see about a week ago I entered a contest online, and was able to win an overnight trip to a hot springs resort, however I didn't want to go by myself, and since I could bring friends or family along with me I asked Taniguchi-san to come along, But she refused and said she didn't want to come if it was just going to be me and her there. And so that's where I got this idea for today," she explained just what had happened and gave a reason as to why Harumin seemed so annoyed with her right now, however still leaving all the others with more questions than answers as to what all this meant now.

"You didn't just ask me once, you kept asking me again and again, and I had already said 'No' to you," Harumin now stated turning back to Matsuri glaring and now starting up another argument between them, while Yuzu tried to keep her friend calm still, them all starting to get stares from the other tables now.

"Matsuri what do you mean, what idea?"

Yuzu asked, as she rested a hand on Harumin's shoulder and was ready to hold her back if Matsuri started to tease her again, hoping that the middle schooler would just answer the question without causing another argument between her and Harumin to start.

"Well what did you all have planned for today?"

Matsuri simply asked with a smile, while all the others just looked to one another with confused expressions, Harumin turning away from the group again as she knew just what idea Matsuri was going on about, and guessed what pretty much everyone's reaction would be to it.

The others were about to answer, however Matsuri cut them all off before they could speak, "Then cancel those plans, because since Taniguchi-san said that she didn't it to be just me and her, and since I'm allowed to bring up to ten friends or family members to come with me if I choose…" she paused, causing Mei to widen her eyes as she could see where this was going right now.

Matsuri finishing a moment later, "…I've decided to invite you all to come along to the Hot springs resort with me today," she stated proudly, while all the others (bar Harumin) looked to her for a moment not knowing what to say and staying silent for a little while, before Mei now spoke up being the first to answer.

"I refuse," Mei simply stated with a blank, cold stare to Matsuri.

"I already said that I'm not going," Harumin repeated what she had already said countless times to Matsuri this morning.

Himeko and Nene both shooting down the idea as well, as it seemed like none of them were willing to be roped into Matsuri's tricks this time, all of them refusing her offer, all expect one. As Matsuri sighed a little now, kinda expecting for the others to decline, ready to give them all a little persuasion, but before she could they all heard Yuzu speak up now, as she had been the only one that hadn't answered just yet.

"I'd kinda would like to go,"

The blonde stated nervously, while all the others now turned to look to her surprised that she had actually just said yes to Matsuri's offer. Yuzu just seeming nervous as she looked to all the others, Matsuri also seeming a little taken aback as she spoke in a much lower tone now.

"You really wanna come Yuzu-chan?" Matsuri asked, sounding a little hopeful now.

"Well yeah, I mean I've never really been to a hot springs resort before, and all I've been doing these past few days is studying so this trip sounds like it could be a good break for a little while," Yuzu explained as a hot springs did sound like a nice trip for them all to go on, smiling to Matsuri as the younger girl now smiled back to her happily.

"Thank you Yuzu-chan,"

"It's no problem really it sounds like fun," Yuzu nodded in reply as Matsuri thanked her. Yuzu now turning to Harumin as she looked to her with a slightly pleading expression, obviously asking for her to come along on the trip too.

Harumin hesitating at first as she still looked a little surprised by Yuzu's answer, but then seemed nervous as she was unsure if her agreeing to go would be such a good idea, but then again she didn't want it to just be Yuzu going along with Matsuri, plus this trip could be a whole lot more enjoyable if Yuzu would be tagging along with her as well.

Sighing slightly Harumin looked to Yuzu's pleading expression and gave in now, "If Yuzucchi is going than I guess I wouldn't mind tagging along as well," she stated in a low voice, causing Matsuri to smirk to her a little and raise her eyebrow slightly.

"If Yuzu-Senpai and Taniguchi-Senpai are going then I'm coming too," Nene quickly stated, not wanting to be left out, and possibly missing her chance of seeing Yuzu and Harumin together at the hot springs resort.

Yuzu and Matsuri just smiling and nodding to Nene in return, before they now all looked to the opposite side of the table, looking to Mei and Himeko with hopeful eyes, asking for them to come along as well.

However Mei just looked back to the others with a blank stare, "I'm still not going," she simply stated as she now stood up from the table and turned to walk away, Himeko agreeing with Mei and moving to stand up as well, however stopping as Yuzu now quickly stood from her seat and came rushing over to Mei.

"But I don't want to leave you by yourself Mei, you'll be missing out," Yuzu tried to reason with her sister, hoping to persuade her to come along as well, looking to her with a begging expression, and hopeful eyes, while Mei just stared blankly back at the blonde.

"I don't care about that, I have work to get done Yuzu," Mei flat out refused not hesitating at all as she clearly didn't want to come on this trip.

"But you can always do that when you come back, come on it's only for one night. And you might find that you will actually enjoy it so please, please, please come along Mei," Yuzu begged as she now grabbed hold of Mei's arm, stopping her from walking away and also hanging off of her, looking back to Nene, Matsuri and Harumin, gesturing for them to join in on the begging as well.

"Yeah come on Prez it sounds like it could actually be more fun if we all go," Harumin stated deciding to help Yuzu out with her begging.

"And like Yuzu-chan said it's only for one night," Matsuri added smirking as she wasn't exactly begging like Yuzu, but was helping to try and persuade Mei to come along as well.

Mei refused again, but was only met with more pleads from Yuzu and the others, as Himeko was the only one that wasn't begging for Mei to come now, instead she just sat looking slightly annoyed by all the others and thinking that what they were doing was all for nothing, since she thought that there was no way Mei was going to agree to this.

However as Mei got more and more annoyed at the others, and her head started hurting from all the pleading, she felt like she was going to snap, looking to her sister's pleading face and now finally sighing deeply as she decided it would just be a whole lot easier to give in, instead of continuing on listening to all this.

"Fine, if it'll make you all be quiet I'll come along too,"

Mei finally caved as she now pushed Yuzu off of her arm, while the blonde lit up, a big grin spreading across her face as she cheered loudly a moment later, causing for more stares to be directed at them from the other people in the café.

The others now all glancing to Himeko as she seemed surprised for a moment that Mei had actually said yes, before she just shook her head and cleared her throat slightly before speaking "If the President is going than so am I," she stated now, not wanting to be the one that would get left behind, agreeing to go as well while Matsuri, Nene and Harumin all now smiled to one another.

Yuzu smiling that she had been able to persuade all the others to come along, thinking that this trip would be good for all of them. Mei just giving out another slight sigh as she looked away from the group and hoped that she wouldn't end up regretting agreeing to this later, although she kinda had a feeling that she would.

….

And so with them all agreeing to go on this little trip together, they took a quick bus ride to where Matsuri had said the resort was, the six of them all soon arriving at the hot springs resort as they now all stood in front of the entrance, all of them looking up at the building and seeming a little surprised over how big the place was.

"Wow, exactly how did you win this trip again Matsuri?" Harumin asked as she seemed impressed over the resort, expecting it to be a much more run down kind of place, and now being quite surprised that it looked like it was more high class then she had first thought it would be.

"Guess I got lucky,"

Matsuri just shrugged as she smirked back to Harumin, causing the elder girl to just roll her eyes with a slight smile, seeming to be a lot calmer now than she was earlier, and also seeming that she was letting everything that had happened with Matsuri slide for now as she thought that since all the others were here as well it wouldn't be too bad, and she wouldn't feel like she was just babysitting Matsuri again.

"Are you sure we didn't need to pack anything before coming here?" Mei asked as she looked to Matsuri for a moment, her eyes narrowing as she saw the younger girl just smile back up to her in return.

"Relax Mei-san I said that everything would be provided for us here, so you're not getting out of this that easily," Matsuri simply stated as her innocent smile now formed into a smirk as she raised an eyebrow to Mei, and Mei just turning away from her to look back at the resort with a blank stare.

"I wasn't trying to get out of this," she stated in what seemed like a uninterested tone while Matsuri just nodded, having a feeling that that was exactly what Mei had just tried to do, but unlucky for her the younger girl had already seemed to have thought that far ahead.

Matsuri now looking to Yuzu and seeing her looking up at the impressive building in awe, smiling to the blonde as she rested a hand on her shoulder and caught her attention, as Yuzu now looked back to her.

"Yuzu-chan?"

"What is it Matsuri?" The blonde asked with a curious expression as she thought it was a little strange that the younger girl was now speaking in a low tone to her, Matsuri gesturing for her to lean closer to her for a moment, and Yuzu simply doing so.

"You know I didn't ask you and Mei-san to come along on this trip just as a means of escape," the middle schooler stated as she smirked to Yuzu, while the blonde just seemed to be confused at first.

"What do you mean?"

"Well while you and Mei-san are here, wouldn't it also be a good chance to further deepen your relationship with her? After all you two still haven't had done it once yet right?" Matsuri asked her smile now forming into a smirk as she looked to Yuzu's blushing expression.

"O-of course we haven't, and is that what you actually brought Mei and me here for?" Yuzu kept her voice low as not to alert any of the others, but seemed surprised as a clear blush was now staining her cheeks, while she glared slightly to Matsuri.

"What do you mean Yuzu-chan I brought you all here to have a nice relaxing time together," Matsuri smiled innocently, however lowering her voice again a moment later, "However what you and Mei-san choose to do while you're here together isn't up to me," she whispered with another smirk, glancing to Mei for a second, and causing Yuzu to do the same, as the blonde was still blushing and was back to feeling confused again.

Matsuri now just turned away from the blonde and headed for the entrance, "I'll go check us all in, so why don't you all go and head to the girls changing room for now, and then we can all go and relax in one of the outside baths together," she now suggested, as she smiled to all the others and gestured for them to all follow her inside.

"Wait Matsuri! What did you mean by that?" Yuzu called after the younger girl as she quickly went running after her, all the others looking to each other, before they all just followed the other two girls inside the resort now.

….

"You know it was really nice of Matsuri to invite us both to come here today," Yuma stated as she and Hotaru had already checked in this morning, now undressing in one of the girls changing room as they had been invited on this little trip beforehand.

"We're not the only ones she invited you know Yuma-chan," Hotaru reminded as she pulled her shirt off and turned back to her girlfriend, her eyes widening slightly when she saw Yuma slowly removing her shorts, and laying them on the side, a small smile now making its way onto her lips.

"I know, so when do you think Yuzu-chan and all the others will be here?"

"They shouldn't be long now, Matsuri-chan messaged me earlier that they were taking the bus here, and we didn't have to wait for them," Hotaru simply answered as she now came to stand closer to Yuma. Yuma not noticing at first as she just continued to remove her underwear, and then moving to grab a towel for herself.

Yuma was just about to respond to the dark haired girl, when she froze and felt the soft hands of her girlfriend resting on her hips now, shivering slightly as she could feel Hotaru's fingers lifting her t-shirt up ever so slightly, the light caressing tickling her stomach a little.

"H-Hotaru…"

Yuma whispered out her girlfriend's name as she felt the other girl's covered chest now pressing against her clothed back, trembling slightly as she could soon feel Hotaru's warm breath on her neck, and let out a small moan upon feeling Hotaru's lips lightly peck at her shoulder and neck.

"I-I know we're alone right now…but…someone could still walk in and see us,"

Yuma said in-between heavy breaths, feeling her heart racing inside her chest, as she knew Hotaru was a lot better than she used to be, but there were still times where the dark haired girl would catch her off guard, however now she knew when to stop.

"Not to worry Yuma-chan, I was just going to help you undress," Hotaru stated as she smiled and slowly lifted up Yuma's top, causing Yuma to shiver again slightly. The blonde blushing as she looked back to Hotaru and grabbed hold of both of her wrists, stopping her from pulling her top up anymore.

"I can undress myself," Yuma stated raising her voice a little, knowing that the dark haired girl was only trying to tease her right now, squirming a little as she tried to turn round against Hotaru but failed to do so.

"You're so cute Yuma-chan, now come on arms up,"

"Listen to what I'm saying," Yuma whined as she pushed Hotaru's hands down, Hotaru not really trying to fight back as she allowed her hands to be pushed down to rest at Yuma's sides again, simply loving the cute reactions that she would get from her girlfriend whenever she teased her like this.

The two then freezing a little as their eyes widened and they both heard the door being opened, not moving from the position they were in as they just turned their heads slightly and looked to the door now, seeing Yuzu, Mei, Harumin, Nene and Himeko all looking to the two of them with quite surprised expressions on their faces.

"Oh, Yuma-chan and I were starting to wonder when you all would get here," Hotaru stated as she quickly composed herself, while Yuma stood blushing for a moment, continuing to push Hotaru's hands away from her, and the dark haired girl not fighting back at all, as she just looked to all the other girls with a smile, greeting them all kindly.

"Yuma-chan, Hotaru? What are you two doing here?" Yuzu asked as her and the others now all walked into the girl's changing room, them all thinking that it was too much of a coincidence for the other two girls to be here at the same time as all of them were.

"Did Matsuri drag you two into this little 'trip' as well?" Harumin asked, getting the feeling that she was completely right before Hotaru and Yuma even said anything at all.

"She invited us the other day, and said you would all be coming as well," Hotaru answered as she now handed Yuma a towel and the blonde quickly wrapped it around her bear waist, shaking her head as she smiled to Yuzu and all the others, having composed herself now.

"Where is Matsuri anyway? Didn't she tell us that she was going to be coming along with everyone else Hotaru?" Yuma asked as she glanced to Hotaru for a moment, while the dark haired girl simply nodded to her in return.

"She was just checking us all in, she should be here in a minute," Yuzu stated now not looking so surprised as she just smiled back to Yuma and Hotaru and could see that they had most probably been persuaded into this just like the rest of them had.

And as if on cue the door now opened again as Matsuri came walking through and widened her eyes once she came into the room. All the girls now turning to look to her, while Matsuri just quickly smiled innocently and closed the door behind her.

"So I see you've all met up with Hotaru-chan and Yuma-chan, that's good," she stated, not even trying to hide the fact that she had invited the other two girls here as well, since there really was no point to it, all the others had already guessed that Hotaru and Yuma had been roped into this just like they had after all.

"If these two had already agreed to come with you, then why did you ask all of us to come as well? And before that you said I was the only one you had invited so far," Harumin said as she now raised her eyebrow to Matsuri and folded her arms while looking to her.

"That's because you were at the time, I only invited Hotaru-chan and Yuma-chan when you refused the first time," Matsuri explained simply, Harumin now glaring to the younger girl as she raised her voice a little.

"Then why did you keep asking me if I wanted to come when I had already said no to you, and then invite everyone else if you were already going to be coming here with Hotaru-san and Yuma?"

"Because I wanted all of us to come here together of course," Matsuri simply replied, Harumin going to respond to her, but the younger girl speaking again before she could get a word out, "Come on now let's all get unchanged so that we can relax in the hot springs for a bit," she said walking upto Harumin and now pushing her to go and start getting undressed, while the elder girl raised her voice at Matsuri again, and told her to 'Let go!' of her.

All the others now looking to each other for a moment, all standing in silence for a few minutes, before Hotaru smiled to them all, "Are all of you okay with Yuma-chan and me joining you on this trip?" she asked, hoping that her and Yuma being here hadn't made any of them not want to be on this trip anymore.

Yuzu just nodded in reply, "Of course Hotaru," she answered as all the others more or less agreed with her, Yuzu now smiling to Hotaru and Yuma reassuringly, while the other two girls smiled back to her happily, both of them thanking her, before they all started to now get unchanged so that they could all get into the hot springs.

….

The girls all now walking out into the hot springs with towels wrapped around their otherwise naked bodies, Nene and Matsuri being the first two to get into the lukewarm bath, with the others all following and doing the same a moment later.

"It's so pretty here,"

Yuzu stated as she looked around the hot springs and admired all of the scenery, smiling as she slowly stepped into the hot spring and settled down to sit against the rocks, sighing with content as she came to sit beside Harumin now.

"The water's really warm," she stated happily.

"I know it feels so relaxing,"

Harumin agreed as she seemed to have forgotten about being mad at Matsuri now, and was just enjoying the soothing feel of the warm water surrounding her body, sitting with her arms folded behind her head as she looked up at the fluffy white clouds in the blue sky above her, before sighing slightly and closing her eyes, letting all her stresses just melt away now.

Nene smiled as she looked to Yuzu and Harumin watching them from across the water, and simply just enjoying seeing them interacting together in such a peaceful environment, choosing to just continue to watch them from afar rather than go other to them and possibly ruin their little moment of relaxing silence together.

Sighing heavily now Yuma rested her head against the rock behind her, breathing in the warm air around her as she soon lifted her head up and looked around the place, noticing that the resort wasn't all that busy and being kinda thankful for it, as her and the others pretty much had the hot springs all to themselves right now.

Yuma then freezing slightly as she suddenly now felt a hand resting over her own and holding onto her tightly, turning her head as she looked to her girlfriend sitting beside her and expected her to do something more, but all Hotaru did was stroke the back of Yuma's hand with the tips of her fingers lightly.

"Hotaru?" the blonde questioned as she felt a little weary still, until she felt the dark haired girl fall against her and heard her let out a content sigh now.

"You're really warm Yuma-chan,"

Hotaru spoke in a low voice as she smiled and rested her head against Yuma's shoulder, leaning into the blonde more while she nuzzled into her neck slightly, feeling her heart beating a little faster when she felt Yuma soon turning her hand around and interlocking their fingers now.

"So are you Hotaru,"

Yuma replied as she blushed slightly and smiled to her girlfriend, Hotaru looking to Yuma with slightly widened eyes, before she just smiled back to the blonde, the dark haired girl then leaning in a little as she closed her eyes now.

Yuma quickly realizing what Hotaru was asking for now, and just lifting her free hand out of the water and pressed her fingers against the other girl's lips, stopping her from leaning in anymore. Hotaru opening her eyes and pouting as she looked back to Yuma now.

"Don't pout, we can't do that right now the others are still here," Yuma stated as she gestured to all the other girls that were off to the side of them, knowing that they probably wouldn't notice them hugging while they sat together all that much, but they would most certainly notice if they went any further than that.

"Then maybe we should go to somewhere a little more private for a bit?" Hotaru suggested as she now slowly rested her other hand over Yuma's one that was against her lips, taking hold of it and kissing her palm lightly, while giving the blonde an alluring stare now.

"In a bit okay? I want to stay like this for a little while longer," Yuma said as she smiled and sighed a little, kinda wanting to kiss Hotaru as well right now, but pushing that thought out of her mind, as it didn't feel right to just leave all the others when they had only just got into the hot springs with them all.

"Yuma,"

Hotaru simply just whispered out the blonde's name, as she now let go of both of her hands, and linked her arms around the other girl's neck instead, hugging her tightly, and surprising Yuma a little as she wrapped an arm around the dark haired girl and wondered if she was okay.

"What is it Hotaru?" she asked rubbing the other girl's back in a comforting way, and looked to her a little concerned for a moment, before she heard her whisper something.

"Don't keep me waiting for too long,"

Hotaru whispered as she held Yuma closer to her, and nuzzled into her neck again, causing Yuma to just smile now as she liked it when Hotaru showed off her more vulnerable side like this, only realizing she had such a side to her not too long ago.

"I won't,"

Yuma simply replied as she hugged Hotaru back and stroked her long dark hair now, combing her fingers through her silky locks and smiling as she kept a tight hold of her girlfriend, kinda hoping that the others that were on the other side of the water weren't noticing them right now, thinking of looking over to check, but then just deciding not to as she closed her eyes and relaxed in Hotaru's embrace, smiling when she felt the dark haired girl do the same in return.

Meanwhile Yuzu was looking over to her sister now, smiling slightly when she saw her seeming to be enjoying relaxing in the water right now, slowly moving to sit closer to her as she caught the younger girl's attention, Mei now looking to her with a questioning expression.

"It feels nice right?" the blonde asked, already guessing that she was right, as Mei just nodded, before answering after a short pause.

"I'll admit that it is quite refreshing,"

Mei simply stated in a low tone as she couldn't deny that this was relaxing for her right now, but also not completely sure that she really liked it all that much just yet, so for now just doing as all the others were and leaned against the rocks behind her, letting out a slight sigh and trying to clear her mind a little.

Yuzu just smiling still as she looked to Mei, and was glad that she also seemed to be having a nice time so far, happy to see her relax for a bit when normally she would be throwing herself into her work if she was back at home right now.

Matsuri looking over to Yuzu and Mei as they were talking to each other, an idea then forming inside her mind as she smirked slightly and slowly came walking over to Yuzu now, calling out her name to get her attention as she did.

"Yuzu-chan,"

"Hmm, what is it Matsuri?" Yuzu asked now turning to Matsuri, and looking away from her younger sister for a moment.

"Well what do you think, wouldn't now be the best time to talk to Mei-san about going further with your relationship?" Matsuri asked her smile now innocent as she gestured to Mei, causing Yuzu to look surprised as she blushed slightly.

"You were being serious about that earlier?" Yuzu questioned, lowering her voice while nervously glancing to Mei, Matsuri just nodding in reply.

"Of course I was, after all she's just sitting there right now, so it's the perfect time to bring up the subject with her," Matsuri explained as she now rested her hands against Yuzu's back and pushed her slightly to go and sit closer to Mei.

"W-what are you talking about, there's no way I can do that while all of you are still around" Yuzu tried to protest, but her words just simply falling on deaf ears and Matsuri continued to urge the blonde to go and talk to her girlfriend.

"Then just pretend we're not here,"

Matsuri simply replied, now wishing the elder girl 'good luck', before she stepped away from her so that her and Mei were pretty much alone in that part of the hot springs, giving the blonde a thumbs up as Yuzu just looked back to her with a slight glare, turning back around to face Mei a minute later.

Swallowing slowly now as she took a deep breath, catching Mei's attention a moment later as she cleared her throat and called out her name, "Mei?" she spoke in a low tone now, while Mei looked back to her with a wondering expression.

"What is it Yuzu?" Mei asked as she sat forward now and looked to Yuzu, waiting for her to reply to her, while Yuzu seemed to tense up a little now, going silent all of a sudden.

' _Wait…just what am I meant to say to her? I can't just tell her that Matsuri thought of bringing us here so that we could possibly 'further' our relationship, that would just cause her to get angry, and since this isn't the easiest subject to bring up, just how would I talk to Mei about it? How much further does Matsuri expect us to go when everyone else is still here anyway? Plus…does Mei even what to go any further than this? Or would she simply be okay with staying with things as how they are for now?'_ Yuzu asked countless questions inside her mind, not finding the answer to any of them, as she sat staring off to space being lost in thought. While Mei just tilted her head slightly still looking to her elder sister with a questioning expression and wondering if she should ask if she was okay or not.

"Yuzu, is there something wrong?" Mei asked, looking a little concerned for the elder girl, as it seemed like she was worrying herself about something right now.

"Huh? Err… no, I mean I'm fine Mei,"

Yuzu composed herself as she now pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked back to Mei with a nervous smile, Mei just nodding to Yuzu slightly, and waited for her to continue since it kinda seemed like she had more to say.

However Yuzu stayed silent as it still seemed like she just couldn't find the words, her mind drawing a complete blank right now as she turned away from Mei again slightly to think to herself, _'Dammit what the hell am I supposed to say to her?'_ she asked herself trying to search for the right words to say, but to no avail as she sighed deeply now.

However now it seemed that Yuzu was going to be saved from this uncomfortable situation, as Mei looked around the hot springs for a moment and noticed something different, realizing now that there weren't as many people here now as there were a little while ago.

"Where have Hotaru-san and Okazaki-san gone to?" Mei asked as she now looked over to where she saw Yuma and Hotaru last, wondering when exactly they had disappeared off somewhere.

Yuzu and the others now all looking to where Mei's gaze was, and also wondering just where the other two girls had gone, all of them then looking to one another and questioning if they should go looking for the two missing girls or not.

….

Meanwhile Yuma and Hotaru had escaped off to one of the indoor baths together, finding one that was empty and had no other people in it, as Yuma now sat on one of the small stools that were used for anyone who wanted to wash themselves. Hotaru kneeling behind the blonde as she was hugging her tightly from behind, their lips locked in a deep kiss at the moment as their slight heavy breaths and small moans were the only noise they could hear right now.

Yuma trembling a little as she felt Hotaru's hands now resting over her breasts, and gently kneading them, her heart beating wildly inside her chest as she blushed deeply, and their lips now parted for a moment the two looking deeply into each other's eyes as Yuma swallowed slowly and sighed, resting a hand upon her girlfriend's cheek.

"Hotaru…"

The blonde whispered out as she stroked Hotaru's cheek, and smiled when the dark haired girl nuzzled into her hand slightly, still feeling her breasts being softly massaged while she now pulled her girlfriend closer to her.

' _It would be nice if it was just Hotaru and me here together, but it has been a while since we were with everyone like this, and it was really kind of Matsuri to invite us here. But even so there is a part of me right now that kinda wants to just be alone with Hotaru…maybe it's just because my desires are getting the better of me right now since Hotaru is touching and kissing me,'_ Yuma thought as she now tried to slow down her racing heart, feeling Hotaru leaning down and laying light kisses on her neck, while whispering out her name into her ear, causing for the blonde to shiver slightly, her blush deepening a little.

Yuma slowly letting herself melt against Hotaru, however soon stopping as her eyes widened and her ears heard the slight sound of faint footsteps being very quiet at first, but then getting louder as it sounded like they were getting closer now.

Turning around slightly and looking to Hotaru, Yuma now took hold of the other girl's wrists, and pushed her hands down from her chest. Hotaru not fighting back as she just looked to Yuma with a questioning expression now.

"Hotaru…I think I can hear someone coming," Yuma stated in a whispered tone as she looked a little worried right now, not wanting anyone to walk in on them kissing or anything.

Hotaru allowing for Yuma to push her hands down more as she looked over to the door, and was sure that she could hear footsteps as well, and a lot of them, removing her hands from Yuma's skin as she backed away a little, and sighed when she saw the door handle turning slightly a second later.

And sure enough the door opened a moment later to reveal Yuzu, Mei and all the others as they all looked to Yuma and Hotaru with slightly widened eyes, luckily Hotaru had moved away from Yuma just before the door had been opened and they were seen by all the others.

"So this is where you two were? Why'd you both disappear like that?"

Matsuri asked as she walked into the room, the others all soon following her while feeling a strong sense of déjà vu right now. Hotaru just smiled to them all and Yuma nervously tried to hide the deep blush that was still covering her cheeks at the moment.

"Sorry, I think the heat was getting to Yuma-chan a bit too much, and she felt dizzy all of a sudden, so I brought her here to cool off a little," Hotaru stated with a smile resting a hand on Yuma's shoulder and gesturing for her to answer Matsuri as well, "Right Yuma-chan?"

"Y-yeah, but I'm feeling okay now though,"

Yuma also smiled now as she internally thanked Hotaru and her quick thinking, glad that they hadn't been found out by the others even though it was only Himeko, Harumin and Nene that didn't know about their relationship.

"That's good, and hey since we're all here now anyway, let's take a bath together in here instead for a bit," Matsuri suggested as she smiled to Yuma and Hotaru, the two others girls smiling back to her, before the younger girl walked off with a slight smirk on her face, seeming to have caught on to the fact that what the two had said was a lie, and guessed that they had all almost walked in on them while they were doing something very different from just 'cooling off'.

The others all deciding to agree with Matsuri as they now all started to wash themselves, before getting into the bath and relaxing again. Yuzu now sitting on one of the stools as she felt a little nervous about going over to Mei again. Mei, Harumin, Nene and Himeko all sitting in the bath together, while Yuma and Hotaru were on the other stools still talking to each other, and Matsuri came over to talk to Yuzu now as she saw the blonde sighing slightly.

"What's up Yuzu-chan?" Matsuri asked as she came to sit down beside Yuzu now, looking to her with a slightly wondering expression.

"It's nothing," Yuzu answered as she turned to Matsuri and smiled nervously to her, pushing all her thoughts to the back of her mind now, trying not to focus on them all that much.

"Did you talk to Mei-san yet?" the younger girl now asked, her lips forming into a slight smirk as she guessed that that was what was bothering the blonde at the moment.

"No…" Yuzu paused as she thought she said that a little too loudly, looking and sighing when it seemed like none of the others had noticed, "I don't know what to say to her, plus…I'm not even sure if Mei wants to go any further just yet," the blonde explained, talking in a much quieter voice now, as she glanced to Mei and really did wonder how she would feel about all this.

"Just say whatever you feel, and you won't know until you try right?"

Matsuri asked as she now smiled to Yuzu, resting a caring hand on her shoulder and encouraging her to go and talk to Mei again, however Yuzu still not feeling ready to do so as she nervously looked back to Matsuri again a moment later, still unsure of what exactly she was supposed to say to her girlfriend.

All the girls then hearing a sudden loud sequel and looking to who it had come from, "Hotaru that's cold!" Yuma said in a raised voice as the lotion that Hotaru had just spread on her skin was freezing, causing her to jump slightly in surprise and shiver now a little.

"Sorry Yuma-chan,"

Hotaru just apologized with a smile to Yuma, resting a hand on the blonde's back and causing her to shiver again slightly, while all the others just looked away from the two girls now seeing as the reason behind Yuma's sequel wasn't anything to be alarmed about or anything.

However Yuzu still looking to Yuma and Hotaru for a moment, thinking as an idea was now slowly forming inside her mind, _'Yuma has already slept with Hotaru before now right? Maybe I should get some advice from her about all this,'_ she wondered as she now stood up and slowly walked over to where Hotaru and Yuma were sitting. Matsuri just watching the blonde go as she smiled slightly and stood up from the floor, shrugging as she started to walk back over to all the others soon joining them in the bath as well.

"Yuma-chan?" Yuzu now called to Yuma as she stood beside her and Hotaru, catching the two's attention as they both looked up to her with the same wondering expression on their faces now.

"What is it Yuzu-chan?" Yuma asked, while Hotaru just simply smiled to Yuzu kindly, getting a nervous smile back from the other girl.

"Umm…can I talk with you for a moment?" Yuzu asked nervously as she shifted her eyes a little, hoping that Yuma would agree to them having a little talk in private for a bit.

"Sure,"

Yuma replied with a nod and a smile to Yuzu after a short pause, as Yuzu smiled back to her now, glad that she had agreed to talk with her. Yuma now standing up and waving to Hotaru slightly, before she looked back to Yuzu and then soon left out the door along with her.

Hotaru just standing up and waving goodbye to her girlfriend, before she now turned on her heel and came walking over to all the others, joining all of them in the bath now happily, Matsuri then catching her attention as she spoke up.

"Hey you know what I've been wondering for a while now?" she asked, while all the others girls turned to her, waiting for her to continue seeming like she was going to say something else now, but paused for some reason.

"What?" Harumin asked as she seemed uninterested, but figured she'd ask anyway since none of the others did.

"Who do you guys think has the bigger breast size Taniguchi-san or Hotaru-chan?" Matsuri asked in an innocent tone, Harumin looking surprised before she glared to Matsuri now and walked over to her, Hotaru just glancing down to her bare chest and then looked to Matsuri again.

"Alright that's enough out of you," Harumin stated as she held Matsuri in a headlock, the others all just smiling slightly now, while Matsuri let out a whine.

"Taniguchi-san that hurts," the middle schooler pouted as she struggled to try and get out of the tight hold the elder girl had her in, while Harumin ignored her whines and didn't allow her to get free at all.

Mei looking uninterested to all the others as she now looked to the door, and wondered what Yuzu had gone off to talk with Yuma about, looking to the closed door with a blank stare and sighed slightly, before turning away from it now, looking back to all the others again a moment later.

….

Yuma and Yuzu were now both dressed in the robes that the hot springs resort had provided them with, sitting on a bench together in one of the girl's changing rooms that was empty right now. Yuzu looking nervous as she shifted her eyes a little, while Yuma just sat smiling to the other blonde kindly.

"So what did you want to talk with me about Yuzu-chan?" Yuma asked as she moved closer to Yuzu, and guessed that whatever this was about, it definitely seemed like it was bothering the other girl quite a bit.

"Well it's nothing to worry about really or anything, it's just something that I've been thinking about because Matsuri keeps bringing it up but- Yuzu said in a rush, before she was cut off by Yuma.

"Just tell me what it is Yuzu-chan," Yuma smiled as she now rested a caring hand on Yuzu's shoulder and encouraged her to stop being so nervous an just tell her what was going on with her right now.

Sighing slightly Yuzu now nodded, before she spoke in a lower and much calmer tone, "You and Hotaru have had sex right?" she asked nervously, wondering if this was an okay question to ask, not wanting to pry too much into the other girl's personal life or make her feel uncomfortable in any way.

"We've done it a few times,"

Yuma answered after a short pause, a slight blush staining her cheeks now as she also spoke in a lower tone like Yuzu did, also looking slightly nervous now as she turned to look down to the floor for a moment, wondering where that sudden question had come from before Yuzu spoke again.

"Well if you don't mind me asking…how did you two know that it was the right time to further your relationship?" Yuzu asked hoping that the other girl would be able to provide some advice that may just help her with her own worries that she was having right now.

Yuma not answering for a moment, as she just thought back to how her and Hotaru used to be and smiled slightly, "Well to be honest I doubt we really did think it was the 'right time' as you say, after all the first time we slept together was when we were still in that unhealthy relationship, and Hotaru was still dating Fujiwara at the time," she explained, feeling kinda happy about how much her relationship had changed with Hotaru now from how it was back then.

"You two actually went as far as sleeping together back then?"

Yuzu asked, not exactly knowing if she should be impressed or worried about that since she was surprised by how much further Hotaru and Yuma had been in their relationship even before her and Mei had met them, but also not feeling good about the fact that that was still when they weren't being honest to each other about how they really felt towards one another.

Yuma just answering with a slight nod now, "I don't think either of us planned it to go that far, but I guess at the time we weren't really thinking at all, and were just letting our desires guide us instead," she stated being glad that things were a lot better between her and Hotaru now than they used to be.

"Do you regret it at all?"

Yuzu asked after a short pause, guessing that that probably wasn't the ideal way that Hotaru and Yuma would have chosen to go that far, but back then it definitely did seem like they let their bodies do the talking rather than their words,

Yuma just shook her head slowly before answering, "It's true that we were in a really bad place at the time, and it would have probably been better if we were actually in a loving relationship before choosing to go that far. But I could still never regret it, it was my first time with Hotaru after all," she explained, knowing that Hotaru most probably felt pretty much the same way, since now whenever they went that far it felt more natural and right then it did that first time when they did it.

Yuzu just smiled slightly to Yuma as she could see that she was being truthful right now, and obviously was speaking from her heart when she said all of that. Yuma now shaking her head as she looked back to the other girl with a kind smile.

"Anyway where is all this suddenly coming from?" Yuma asked, causing Yuzu to become slightly nervous again, as her smiled faded and she seemed anxious now.

"Well Matsuri told me that she had invited Mei and me here in hopes that it might encourage us to further our relationship, but I'm not sure if we're ready for that just yet," Yuzu explained fidgeting a little as she was wondering how Yuma would answer her.

"Do you want to go that far with Mei-san yet?" Yuma asked, as she looked to Yuzu with a wondering expression now starting to see why the other girl had been so troubled by her own thoughts.

"Well I would like to go further with Mei…but I'm just not sure if Mei would want to do the same, or if she would rather just want things to stay as they are between us," Yuzu spoke in a low tone again as she did want for her and Mei to become closer, but was unsure if Mei would want the same thing as her.

"Then why don't you just ask her?" Yuma asked with a smile, sounding like asking Mei was a simple solution to Yuzu's worries. Causing Yuzu to look back to her a little taken aback, before just looking nervous again.

"But what would I say?" Yuzu asked, her mind still seeming to be drawing a complete blank on how she would go about asking such a question to Mei, thinking about how it would also seem quite out of the blue.

"Just ask her how she would feel about you two going further with your relationship, I'm sure that it will all go just fine for you both," Yuma said as she reassured Yuzu that it would be alright, and all she needed to do was talk to Mei and see how she felt about all this.

Yuzu just nodding now as she still wasn't sure if it would go all that well with Mei even though Yuma had reassured her that it would all be fine, her not feeling convinced just yet. However smiling as she looked to Yuma and sighed a little guessing that talking to Mei about all this seemed to be pretty much her only and also her best option right now.

"Thanks Yuma-chan," Yuzu thanked Yuma as she smiled to her happily now.

"You're welcome Yuzu-chan,"

Yuma nodded in reply as she smiled back to the other blonde and was glad that she was able to offer some advice to the other girl, now whether it would actually prove to be helpful to her or not was something Yuzu was going to have to find out for herself.

….

Yuzu and Yuma now going back to join all the others again, and them all soon getting changed into robes, having a nice dinner and then headed off to the lounge together as it was now early in the evening.

Harumin and Himeko playing ping-pong, while Nene and Matsuri were doing the same at the other ping-pong table, Hotaru and Yuma watching from one of the sofa's as they sat talking to each other happily, while Mei and Yuzu were sitting together on another one of the sofas, Yuzu watching the others all playing ping-pong, and Mei just looking uninterested and also a little tired right now.

"Hey Taniguchi-san why don't we switch and you and I can play a match?" Matsuri asked as she was getting tired of beating Nene and now looked to Harumin with a slight smile.

"Alright you're on,"

Harumin smiled back to Matsuri as she agreed to play a game with her, Nene and Himeko now switching to play with each other as it was obvious that Harumin and Matsuri were much better at this than they were.

Now walking over to the table that Matsuri was on the opposite side of and picking up the ping-pong paddle off the table, ready to play, before Matsuri spoke up again.

"Wait if we're going to play seriously, then why don't we make it a little more interesting?" Matsuri asked a slight smirk now forming on her lips as she already had an idea in mind on how she could have a little 'fun' with the elder girl now.

"Interesting how exactly?" Harumin asked raising her eyebrow slightly to the younger girl, wondering what she had up her sleeve right now.

"Well how about this, if I win you have to sleep in the same room as me tonight," Matsuri stated already seeming pretty confident that she was going to win this game.

"And what happens if I win?" Harumin folded her arms across her chest for a moment, while Matsuri now just smiled back to her innocently.

"Then I'll sleep on my own outside in the hallway for the night," the younger girl stated as she waited to see if Harumin would actually agree to playing this game now that she knew what the stakes were for them both.

"Alright I'll play your game, but you better be ready to lose," Harumin stated as she smirked back to Matsuri, while the younger girl just smiled back to her, the two then starting to engage in a heated battle of ping-pong while all the others watched from afar.

"What were you talking to Yuzu-chan about earlier Yuma-chan?" Hotaru asked as she looked to the blonde sitting beside her on the sofa, Yuma looking back to her now.

"She just had something on her mind, it's nothing to worry about," Yuma simply answered with a smile to the dark haired girl, having a good feeling that Yuzu and Mei would be just fine when they talked to each other tonight.

"So it's all sorted then?" Hotaru asked with a questioning expression on her face, as she tilted her head slightly while looking to Yuma.

Yuma just answered with a nod to her girlfriend, as she hoped that she was right, however than just shaking her head and pushing those uncertainties to the back of her mind, as she continued to think positively and was sure that everything would be fine.

"Then…" Hotaru now paused as she slowly moved to sit closer to Yuma, resting her hand on top of her's and looking up to the blonde with a slightly pleading expression, "…can we go to bed a little earlier than planned?" she asked giving Yuma her best puppy-dog eyes while she also smiled upto her innocently at the same time.

Yuma seeming a little surprised at first before she just sighed and looked back to Hotaru with a slight smile, "How come you're so eager to be alone with me today?" she asked, thinking that Hotaru seemed to be a little more 'horny' than normal today.

"Because this trip was meant to be a break for us, and we keep getting interrupted," Hotaru stated knowing that all the others were here along with them, but not liking the fact that they had almost been walked in on twice today, wanting to just be alone with her girlfriend right now.

Yuma smiled as she just looked to Hotaru, seeming like she was thinking for a minute, she also wanted to be alone with the dark haired girl for at least a little while, a slight blush covering her cheeks as she thought about her and Hotaru getting to spend the whole night alone together.

"Unless you don't want to?" Hotaru asked, wondering if maybe Yuma wanted to stay here instead, and not head to bed just yet. However Yuma quickly shaking her head in reply.

"No it's okay, let's head to bed,"

Yuma replied with a smile as she turned her hand around under Hotaru's and held onto her tightly, Hotaru now smiling back to her happily, glad that they would finally get to spend some time alone together while being on this trip.

Standing up from the sofa together now as Yuma caught all of the others attention, all of them now turning to look to the other two girls for a moment, "Hey Hotaru and I are feeling pretty tired, so we're going to bed early," Yuma stated with a smile, while Hotaru smiled to all the others and faked a slight yawn.

"Okay, goodnight you two," Matsuri smiled as she bid the two goodnight, as did all the others, them then all turning back to what they were doing a minute ago, as Hotaru and Yuma were just about to leave, before they all heard Yuzu speak up now.

"Actually I think Mei and I might be doing the same,"

Yuzu stated with a nervous smile as she pointed to her younger sister who had seemed to now have fallen asleep on her shoulder, all the others nodding to Yuzu and smiling to her slightly, bidding her and Mei 'goodnight' as well once Yuzu had woken Mei up a little in order for her to walk to the room that they would be staying in for the night.

The four girls all leaving and splitting into pairs as they left to go into the rooms that they would be sleeping in for the night, while all the others now looked to each other, all of them thinking if they should just head to bed early as well along with the other four.

"What do you think Taniguchi-san do you want to go to bed as well? You can if you want to, but know that if you quit this game before either one of us wins, it means you'll lose by forfeit," Matsuri stated with a smirk to Harumin now, resting her elbow on the ping-pong table and propped herself up on it.

"Nah I'll stay up, there's no way that I'm sleeping in the same room as you tonight," Harumin answered with a smirk of her own, picking up her paddle again, and ready to continue playing.

"We'll just see about that,"

Matsuri replied as she now also picked up her own paddle and began the fierce battle of ping-pong again, Himeko and Nene just deciding to stay up and watch the other two, as they kinda wanted to see who the winner would be in the end, guessing that they would all go to bed once one of the two battling girls won the game.

….

Mei and Yuzu now having laid out their futons for the night, pushing two together so it would be kinda like their double bed back at home. Mei yawning as she was ready to just go off to sleep, going to lay down on her side of the futon, but Yuzu stopping her as she called out her name.

"Mei…can I ask you something?"

Yuzu said as she figured that now was the best time to ask Mei about her feelings towards going further in their relationship, since Mei already looked pretty tired and she probably wouldn't want to stay up for much longer.

"What is it?" Mei asked as she now turned back to look to Yuzu and rubbed her tired eyes, ignoring the nagging urge to just lay down and go to sleep right now, wondering what Yuzu was going to ask her.

Feeling anxious at first Yuzu drew a blank again, before she just shook her head and remembered what Yuma had told her earlier, taking a deep breath before she spoke again, "Listen Matsuri told me earlier that she invited us here to hopefully deepen our relationship, and I was just wondering…how you would feel about us maybe going further," she explained, speaking in a slightly low tone, as she nervously shifted her eyes a little, and hoped that Mei wouldn't flat out reject the idea.

Mei's eyes seemed to widen slightly as she raised an eyebrow to Yuzu now, "And by 'going further' you mean?" she asked, wondering if Yuzu meant what she thought she did, now getting an idea as to just what Yuzu had talked with Yuma about earlier.

"Well I mean…sex I guess,"

Yuzu stated in a quiet tone now, feeling a little worried for what Mei's answer would be, only to be met with silence for a few moments. Mei not saying anything for quite a while as she just sat there seeming to be thinking, Yuzu not knowing if the silence was a good sign or not, swallowing loudly as she continued to wait patiently for what Mei's response would be.

Answering after a long pause now, Mei slightly turned away from Yuzu, "Well we have been together for quite a while now, so I guess I wouldn't mind doing those sorts of things with you," she stated in a slightly low tone, hiding a slight blush that was starting to cover her cheeks and ears now.

Yuzu thinking she heard wrong at first, not knowing how to react as she just sat surprised, before Mei now turned to look back to her and gave her a questioning expression, Yuzu's lips now forming into a wide smile as she looked to Mei with hope-filled eyes and moved closer to her on the bed.

"Really Mei? Are you sure?"

Mei just nodded to Yuzu in reply, as she looked to the elder girl with a softened expression, and Yuzu's face lighting up as she now happily wrapped her arms around Mei and hugged her tightly, Mei seeming surprised at first, before she just sighed against Yuzu and waited for the blonde to let go of her.

"But I'd rather do those kind of things while being at home, and not here with everyone else," Mei stated as it was obvious that she didn't want to do anything tonight, her reasoning being a bit of both not wanting to do that sort of thing while the others were all still around, and also feeling tired still and wanting to just get some sleep right now.

"Of course,"

Yuzu nodded with a smile agreeing that it would be better to do those sorts of things at home, rather than here while the others would only be sleeping a few rooms down from them. Just being so overjoyed that Mei had actually agreed to moving forward in their relationship.

"But what will we tell Matsuri?" Yuzu now asked looking nervous again as she thought that Matsuri would probably ask them how last night went in the morning.

"I guess we can just tell her that she'll have to find another way to 'hopefully deepen our relationship'," Mei simply replied as she now lay down on the futon, and snuggled up under the covers, then looking up to Yuzu and waiting for the blonde to join her in bed.

Yuzu just nodded as she smiled and guessed that Mei wanted this to be kept as a secret between them for now, as she simply just lay down beside Mei and blushed when the younger girl cuddled up beside her now.

"Goodnight Yuzu," Mei whispered as she closed her eyes and nuzzled into Yuzu's neck, causing her to smile now while she looked to her girlfriend and sighed a little.

"Goodnight Mei,"

Yuzu whispered back in reply as she now wrapped an arm around Mei and stroked her long black hair gently, smiling as she held her girlfriend close, pulling the covers over them both as the two of them soon drifted off into a peaceful sleep together while they cuddled each other lovingly all through the night.

 **...**

 **The longest chapter that I've ever written, and I loved writing every bit of it. ^_^**

 **Killerchainsaw ;)**


	4. Summer Festival Fun

**Author's Notes: **

**I don't own Citrus or Netsuzou Trap, or any of their characters, no copyright is intended!**

 **This fic is a sequel to another story of mine called, 'Citrus Trap' so I would recommend you go and read that fic before reading this one, in order to be up to speed on everything that's happened.**

 **This is a crossover story with Citrus and NTR (Netsuzou Trap) by the way. ;)**

 **Warning: This contains yuri (girl x girl) pairings as well as pseudo-incest, don't like? Don't read simple, otherwise enjoy. ^_^ **

**...**

As summer vacation was now in full swing with the days getting much longer and the nights getting shorter, and with the summer festival that was going to be happening tonight, Yuzu decided to arrange for everyone to go to the festival together, Mei being the only one that she needed to really persuade while all of the others were more than happy to come along.

Now standing in the bathroom Yuzu looked at her tied up hair in the mirror, neatening it up a little as she then smiled and nodded in satisfaction, looking over her yukata and turning in the mirror slightly checking to see if she had tied it up right at the back.

Before she then heard her phone buzzing a little, telling her that she had just gotten a text message. Picking up her phone from where it had been placed on the sink, and smiling when she looked to the screen and read the text message that she had just received.

Meanwhile Mei sat on her and Yuzu's bed holding a small mirror up and looking to her hair, sighing slightly as she had tried to tie it up by herself, but since she wasn't all that experienced in styling her hair she didn't seem to have done a very good job of tying a simple bun in it.

Looking to her tangled up hair, and trying to fix it to look neat, but only being able to untangle a few of the knots that she had made in her hair, putting down the mirror now as she gave up and figured she would just have to ask for Yuzu's help after all, since she would definitely know more about this kinda thing than she did.

"Mei Yuma-chan just messaged me, she said that she and Hotaru were just meeting up with Matsuri and the others so…" Yuzu paused as she came walking into her and Mei's room now, her eyes widened upon seeing Mei trying to fix her tangled up hair, and smiling as she just folded her arms now slightly while looking to the younger girl.

"You need a little help?" the blonde asked as she raised an eyebrow to her sister. Mei just turning her head and looking back to Yuzu with a blank stare, before she glanced away from the elder girl and just nodded slightly.

Now walking over to the bed and kneeling behind Mei, Yuzu gently combed her fingers through her sister's silky black hair, untangling it and letting it fall freely down her back, before she started to tie it up in a neat bun, the same way that hers was tied up right now.

A small silence now fell on the two of them as Mei sat sighing a little feeling her hair being gently tugged as Yuzu tied it up, the elder girl smiling as she happily just took her time with slowly tying up her girlfriend's long hair, loving the way it felt so silky against her skin.

"Do you think you'll enjoy tonight Mei?"

Yuzu asked as she looked to Mei with a content smile, but at the same time was wondering if Mei was going to like going to the festival with everyone else tonight, after all she wasn't very much of a social person when it came to all of them going on trips together like this.

"How am I supposed to know that when we haven't even gone yet?" Mei asked back, glancing back to Yuzu out of the corner of her eye, feeling like the blonde was taking a little too long to tie her hair up, as they really should be getting a move on if they didn't want to keep all the others waiting for them.

"I guess that's true…" Yuzu paused now as she chuckled nervously, before her smile formed into a slight frown, as she let a slight sigh leave her lips, "Mei…I know I dragged you into this, but if you really don't want to go you don't have to," she stated not wanting to feel like she would have to force Mei into coming along tonight, and not seeing what the point of persuading her to come would have been if the younger girl just ended up wanting to return back home all through the night.

Mei not answering for a moment as she widened her eyes a little, turning her head to look to Yuzu now, the blonde just looking nervously back to her, a little worried for what the younger girl just might say, as she didn't want Mei to come if she wasn't going to enjoy herself, but she also didn't want to just leave her alone at home for the night and go without her, although she figured that Mei would most probably be just fine with that.

However a moment later Mei just simply shrugged her shoulders and glanced away from Yuzu again, "What would be the point of staying at home now, when I'm already dressed for the festival, plus all the others are expecting me to be coming as well right?" she asked now glancing only slightly back to Yuzu feeling the blonde stop what she was doing for a moment, as she seemed a little taken aback by Mei's answer.

Yuzu looked a little lost for words now as she didn't know how to respond at first, Mei tilting her head back slightly now as she looked to Yuzu with a wondering expression, "And you want me to come too, right?" she asked, her voice sounding like it was now lower than before as she simply waited for Yuzu's reply.

Yuzu just nodding now as she didn't know any other way of responding, her mind still not being able to find the words to answer Mei and so just swallowed slowly while nodding in reply. Her emerald eyes widening again as Mei turned round slightly to face her now and looked to her with a softened expression.

"What's that expression for, you're happy that I agreed to come, aren't you?" the younger girl asked as she really didn't mind coming along to this festival tonight with all the others, just as long as she got to come home and go to bed at a relatively early time still then she didn't see tonight being too much of a bother for her.

Yuzu just smiling now as she let go of Mei's hair, wrapping her arms around the younger girl and hugging her tightly, "Of course I'm happy, and I really do appreciate it Mei," she stated as she happily nuzzled into Mei's neck. While Mei just relaxed in the elder girl's embrace, resting a hand on top of Yuzu's arm, and waiting for her to let go of her. Soon Yuzu just smiling to Mei now as she slowly removed her arms from where they were holding her sister and went back to tying up her long black hair again.

"The others have already met up right?" Mei asked now going back to facing away from her sister, and just waited until Yuzu was done with tying her hair up.

"Yeah, Yuma-chan messaged me that they'll be waiting for us," Yuzu answered with a smile as she now didn't feel so guilty about asking Mei to come along tonight anymore, and was now back to taking her time again, forgetting for a little bit that they needed to be at the festival soon so that they could meet up with everyone else.

"Then we shouldn't keep them waiting for much longer, right?" Mei asked looking to Yuzu with a raised eyebrow, and giving her the message to basically hurry up with what she was doing so that they could be leaving soon.

"R-right, sorry Mei,"

Yuzu smiled nervously as she got the message that Mei was hinting at her, and now quickly finished off tying her sister's hair up, checking both her own and Mei's hair and outfits one last time just before they said goodbye to their Mother and left out the door, ready to set off for where the summer festival was being held, and where they would be meeting up with all the others tonight.

…...

Yuzu and Mei now having arrived at the festival, looking around for all their friends while they stayed close to one another as to not get separated since there were quite a lot of people at the festival tonight. The two stood looking around for all the others, Yuzu trying to see past the crowds that were all around them, and sighing slightly when she couldn't spot any of their friends anywhere.

"There sure are a lot of people here," the blonde stated standing on her tip-toes and trying to see over the crowds of people, wondering where the others were and if they would even be able to find them amongst all these people.

"They said that they would be waiting for us right?" Mei asked as she too was looking round for all the others that they were supposed to be meeting here.

"Yeah, but I don't see them anywhere here…" Yuzu trailed off slightly as she now felt someone bump into her, the person apologizing politely, before continuing to walk past her as she just smiled to the stranger nervously and watched them leave.

' _This place really is packed, maybe I should have arranged for us to all come later in the evening or something,'_ the blonde thought, before she now turned to Mei, and saw that the younger girl was still looking for all the others, smiling to her sister, while she let her gaze drop slightly, her eyes now widening a little as she looked nervously to Mei's hand, and an idea began to form inside her mind.

Mei scanned the whole place for a familiar face of one of their friends, but seeing none of them so far, she sighed a little wondering just where the others all were and hoping to find them all soon enough, before she then widened her eyes slightly as she felt her hand being softly grasped now.

Looking to her sister Mei now gave Yuzu a wondering expression, gesturing to their enclosed hands, and was obviously confused as to why Yuzu had just grabbed her like that.

"Why did you just grab my hand Yuzu?" The younger girl asked not trying to get out of Yuzu's tight grasp, but also not letting her own hand hold onto the blonde's just yet as she looked to her girlfriend's expression and saw that she was blushing slightly now.

"S-sorry Mei, I-I just thought it would be better if we held hands since there are a lot of people here, after all we don't want to get separated right?" Yuzu asked nervously now as she kept a hold of Mei's hand, wondering if she wouldn't mind this, or would just pull her hand away instead.

Mei just stared blankly back to Yuzu as she now allowed for her hand to hold onto Yuzu's, causing the blonde to seem a little surprised in return, "I don't mind you holding my hand Yuzu, but give me more of a warning when you do it," the younger girl stated as she guessed that Yuzu more or less just wanted to hold her hand more than anything else right now, and used 'not wanting to get separated' as just an excuse to do so.

"Right, sorry,"

Yuzu nodded with a nervous smile again, knowing that Mei had easily seen through her excuse, but was just happy that she didn't pull her hand away, thinking that the fact that so many people were here was a good opportunity to hold her girlfriend's hand, and now kinda feeling foolish that she didn't think that Mei would catch onto just what her true intentions were so quickly.

The two then standing in a bit of an awkward silence, as they looked to each other, Yuzu with a nervous smile and Mei with a simple blank stare, both of them deciding to keep looking for the others, but within a few more moments they didn't have to search for much longer it seemed as they now both heard a familiar voice calling out to them loudly.

"YUZU-CHAN! MEI-SAN!"

Both of them looked to where they heard the voice come from, but upon turning didn't see the person that the voice belonged to, wondering where that person was calling from and looking all around, until they now saw Matsuri emerge out of the crowds of people and stood smiling to the two of them greeting them happily, while Yuzu and Mei just looked back to the younger girl a little relieved to see her.

"So here you two are, we were looking for you?" Matsuri stated as she waved to the two and now came walking over to them both.

"Hey Matsuri good to see you, but where are the others?" Yuzu asked as she smiled back to Matsuri, greeting her and then looking around for their other friends, expecting Matsuri to be with them, but it seemed like the middle schooler was actually alone right now.

"Oh don't worry they'll be here in a minute, I kinda ran off ahead when I saw you two in the distance," Matsuri explained, smiling nervously to the two now, before she looked to Mei and Yuzu, her eyes widening as she saw that they were holding hands right now, smiling a moment later as she was about to comment, but was cut off before she could start talking by one of the others now calling out her name and running over to her.

"Matsuri, don't just go running off like that, you're going to get us all lost if you go disappearing amongst this sea of people so suddenly," Harumin now scolded the younger girl as she came pushing past people and walked up to Matsuri, glaring to her slightly, while all the others now came following after the brown haired girl.

"Aww were you worried that I'd get separated from you Taniguchi-san?" Matsuri teased now as she turned to Harumin and smirked to her, which just caused Harumin to glare to her again.

"Of course not, while I wouldn't mind losing you here, it was the others that I was worried about getting separated from," Harumin stated as she stood with her arms folded now, glancing away from the younger girl for a moment, while Matsuri just nodded with a wide smirk in return.

"If that's true, then why did you come looking for me?"

Matsuri asked with a raised eyebrow, just getting silence and another glare from the elder girl now as she knew she was just making her more annoyed the longer that she kept teasing her for, simply brushing off all her glares and enjoying the reactions she was currently getting from her.

Harumin and Matsuri going into an argument now while all the others came walking over to greet Yuzu and Mei, "You're yukata is so cute Yuzu-chan," Hotaru stated as she and Yuma now smiled to Yuzu and Mei happily. Yuzu smiling nervously at Harumin and Matsuri arguing, before she turned to Hotaru and Yuma with a returned smile now.

"So is yours Hotaru,"

Yuzu replied as she greeted Himeko and Nene as well as Hotaru and Yuma now, each one of them happy to see one another again, and excited to spend tonight with all of them together. Hotaru now talking to Mei happily as she smiled to her, while Mei just looked back to the other girl with a blank stare, nodding to her and replying back to her in a causal tone that sounded a little uninterested.

"Have you all been waiting long?"

Yuzu now asked Yuma as she smiled to Mei and Hotaru talking for a moment, before looking back to Yuma again. However feeling glaring eyes on her Yuzu now looked to Himeko as she seemed to be giving her a very off putting stare right now, and causing a cold chill to run down her spine as she wondered why the Vice President was giving her such a deathly look.

"No not at all, all that matters is you're both here now right?" Matsuri stated as she now chimed in, having stopped arguing with Harumin for a moment, as Harumin just stood glaring to the younger girl still, seeming like she had more to say to her but was holding it back for now.

Yuzu just nodding in reply to Matsuri with a smile, as all the others looked to the middle schooler now, "Shall we get this night started then?" she asked with a smile to everyone else, all of them nodding and cheering in unison a moment later, while Matsuri nodded to them all in return.

Nene now turning and leading the way as she turned and started to head into the direction of the stalls, Harumin just sighing as she slowly followed after Nene, Himeko giving Yuzu another death glare before she too turned and walked away now, while Yuzu stood wondering if she had made Himeko angry or something, feeling nervous now.

"You sure are being daring Yuzu-chan, holding onto Mei-san's hand like that," Matsuri now stated as she smirked to Yuzu and gestured to the blonde's hand that was still tightly grasping onto Mei's, Yuzu only now realizing that she had been keeping hold of Mei's hand all this time.

And upon realizing this she immediately released Mei's hand now, backing away from her girlfriend slightly and blushing a little, while Mei just looked back to her with a blank stare, shrugging her shoulders a moment later and not seeming to care much, before she just started to follow all the others now.

' _I kept hold of Mei's hand through all that…was that why Momokino-san was giving me such a scary look?'_ Yuzu questioned as she looked to Matsuri now, a worried expression on her face, while Matsuri just smiled and now rested a comforting hand on the elder girl's shoulder.

"Relax Yuzu-chan I don't think the others noticed all that much,"

The younger girl stated with a reassuring smile to the blonde, while Yuzu just looked back to her seeming upset still, and sighed deeply as she guessed the only one that seemed to have noticed was Himeko, hoping that Matsuri was right about Nene and Harumin not seeing though.

"Come on let's go catch up with everyone else," Matsuri now stated as she encouraged Yuzu to cheer up and go and join the others, Yuzu just nodding as she followed slowly behind the younger girl, and only hoped that things would get better for her from here tonight.

….

The girls were now all getting into the spirit of the summer festival, eating candy apples and other treats, buying little knick-knacks from the different stalls, playing a few of the games that were around and generally just all having a fun time together. Luckily none of them getting separated from each other as they all stayed close and made sure that no one went off by themselves at all.

Yuzu was now crouched at one of the stalls, as her and Harumin were trying out the 'duck catching game' where they had to get at least three of the plastic, yellow toy ducks that were constantly bobbin up and down in the small barrel of water, using only the fishing hooks that they had in their hands.

Both of the girls concentrating very hard it seemed, while Nene sat close to them both, and wondered who was going to get a duck first. Yuzu narrowing her eyes as she was focusing on one duck that was all by itself, thinking that it would be easier to get, but now finding out that it was actually harder than she had first thought it was going to be.

The duck kept moving out of the way of her hook, and Yuzu getting a little impatient now started to be slightly more forceful with the way she was trying to catch the duck, trying her best to get that one duck, and her method working out quite well for her it seemed as soon enough her hook was able to latch around the toy duck's neck, and when she saw that she had grabbed onto it, she instantly yanked the fishing line back.

"I caught one!" the blonde cheered happily as she now jumped up and showed off her catch, causing Nene and Harumin to look to her in response.

"Wow nice one Yuzucchi!" Harumin smiled to the blonde as she took her attention off trying to catch her own duck to congratulate Yuzu on her catch.

"Only two more to go now," Nene stated with a bright smile, causing Yuzu to then look slightly taken aback now, before she just sighed deeply and slumped back down on to the ground.

"That's right I have to get at least three, before I can get a prize," Yuzu reminded herself as she now realized that catching one duck was only a part of the victory still having to catch two more, although she had already spent so much time just trying to catch one.

"Don't worry Yuzucchi, I'm sure the other two will be easier to catch now," Harumin tried to reassure her friend, while Nene just nodded quickly, smiling also and feeling a little nervous that she was the one that had reminded Yuzu that she hadn't won just yet.

"Yeah I guess so,"

Yuzu shrugged now as she glared to the little plastic ducks bobbing around in the water, feeling like they were mocking her right now. While Harumin went back to trying to catch her own duck, Yuzu now wondering if her girlfriend was enjoying herself as well, turning and looking to where Mei and Himeko stood at the shooting game stall that was just across from her.

"This game is tough, I haven't hit a single one yet," Himeko sighed as she looked to the cans that she was supposed to shoot down, having been able to not hit any down yet. Looking to Mei to see if she had better luck with it.

"Me either,"

Mei simply just stated as she aimed at one of the cans, and watched as the fake bullet whizzed past and bounced off the back of the stall instead. Mei standing back as she wondered just how this game worked, knowing that once you hit down more than five cans you would get a prize, but since you only got a few tries Mei didn't see how she was going to be able to do it, thinking of just deciding to give up and go do something else instead now that might just be easier for her.

However Matsuri then came walking over with a smirk on her face, causing Mei to just look to her with a blank stare as her attention was caught by the younger girl now, "You two give up too easily, let me show you how it's done," Matsuri stated as she now came and payed the man at the stall, taking the plastic refile from Mei, and holding the gun in two hands as she held it firmly and checked to see that it was loaded enough before closing one eye and aiming at one of the cans,

"There's actually a strategy to it, you gotta line up the shot so that you're actually aiming for the space behind the can instead of the can itself, and then bang!" Matsuri explained as she pulled the trigger and a bullet came flying out, hitting one of the cans and knocking it down almost effortlessly now.

"And once you've learnt that, you can then try your hand at harder tricks," Matsuri stated as she now aimed in-between two cans that were close together and pulled the trigger again, the bullet bouncing off one can and hitting the other, knocking down both down in the process.

Himeko seeming quite interested as she wondered how the younger girl was able to do so well, while Mei just watched with a blank expression, not seeming to be bothered by the fact that Matsuri was clearly better at this game then her, but was just more or less watching to see how many more cans Matsuri could knock down before she would eventually miss one.

Yuzu sighing slightly now as she continued to watch Mei listen to Matsuri's teachings, and thinking that she shouldn't have been so worried about tonight after all, Harumin hearing the blonde sigh and looking to her with a wondering gaze now.

"Something wrong Yuzucchi?" she asked catching the blonde's attention, Yuzu now turning back to her and shaking her head in response.

"No, I was just thinking..." Yuzu paused now as she looked down to her hands, and stroked the small plastic duck that she had caught, "I was feeling a little worried about bringing Mei here earlier, since this isn't really the kind of thing she likes, but now she actually look like she's enjoying herself while being here with everyone else," the blonde now smiled as she glanced back to her girlfriend again, and felt like maybe it was a good idea to bring Mei along to this tonight after all.

Harumin just smiling to Yuzu, before she too looked to Mei and agreed that the President did seem to actually be letting go a little, and having fun just like all the rest of them were right now. All the girls then getting distracted from what they were doing as they heard their names being called out.

All of them now looking to where they had heard the voice come from, and smiled slightly when they now saw Hotaru and Yuma quickly walking upto them all, knowing that they had wandered off together a little while ago, and now happy to see them coming back together, not one of them having gotten lost or anything.

"You two are finally back then?" Matsuri asked as she smiled to Yuma and Hotaru, knowing that they had gone off to buy some more small items from a few of the stalls, but also guessing that they were also probably off doing something else while they were away from them all.

"Aww that's cute Hotaru-chan, did you buy that?" Harumin now asked as she pointed to the little, fuzzy fox brooch that was now pinned onto Hotaru's yukata, all the others now looking to the piece of jewellery as well as they hadn't noticed it at first.

"Yuma-chan brought it for me," Hotaru stated with a smile as she now reached a hand up and stroked the small brooch lightly, glancing to Yuma, while the blonde just blushed a little and felt nervous, before she quickly thought of something to change the subject.

"Hey aren't the fireworks going to be starting soon?" Yuma now asked with a nervous smile, turning away from Hotaru as the dark haired girl just smiled back up to her innocently.

"Oh yeah that's right, guess we'll have to quit trying at this game, Yuzucchi," Harumin stated as she now looked back to all the toy ducks bobbing around in the barrel, and just decided to give up since it was obvious that she wasn't going get any of them, having been trying for quite a while now.

"Yeah, might as well, since I don't really see me being able to get any more after catching only one after all that anyway," Yuzu agreed looking to the toy duck in her hand and just slowly dropped it back into the barrel of water, not seeing the point of continuing on if she wasn't going to get anymore catches, besides she also was looking forward to watching the fireworks with all the others.

Everyone now deciding to start making their way over to where the fireworks were going to be set off from deciding that it would be better to find a good spot now, rather than having to really search for one later considering the fact that there most probably wouldn't be a lot left by then.

Matsuri now walking over to Yuzu and getting her attention, Yuzu turning and looking back to the younger girl with a smile, wondering what she wanted.

"Hey Yuzu-chan, are you going to kiss Mei-san when the fireworks go off?" Matsuri asked in a whispered tone so that the others wouldn't hear her, smiling as she walked beside Yuzu.

"What? I couldn't do that so suddenly," Yuzu stated blushing slightly as she kept her voice down, but it was obvious that the younger girl had just caught her off guard with that sudden question.

"But isn't it the perfect excuse to kiss her?"

"The perfect excuse?' What do you mean by that?" Yuzu looked confused now as she didn't really get what Matsuri was going on about, but guessing that it was just another one of her little tricks, which she calls, 'Helping to further her and Mei's relationship'.

"Just try it out,"

Matsuri replied as she now winked to Yuzu, and wished her 'Good luck', before she then waved to the blonde and left to go and catch up with Harumin and Nene, while Yuzu still didn't know what the younger girl had exactly meant by what she had said, now turning her head and looking back to Mei and Himeko who were walking behind her talking to each other, blushing slightly when she thought about what Matsuri had suggested to her, shaking those thoughts out of her head, as she just looked back to the direction she was walking in currently.

The whole group soon finding a place that they would be able to see the fireworks relatively well from, all of them now ready to watch the lightshow, waiting for the fireworks to start being set off. Well all expect one of them as Yuzu now nervously stood back from the rest of the group, nervously looking to Mei while thinking about what Matsuri had said to her just a moment ago.

' _Matsuri said it would be the perfect excuse to kiss Mei…but would Mei really be okay with that? I mean I guess I could try it out, but it would probably be better not to do it in front of all the others like this,'_ Yuzu thought a she looked to her girlfriend and sighed a little, building up all her courage as she cleared her throat and now walked over to Mei.

"Mei…"

Yuzu paused as she was able to catch the younger girl's attention, Mei turning around as she looked to the blonde and wondered what she wanted, just looking to the elder girl with a questioning expression and waiting for her to continue since it definitely seemed like she wanted to.

"Can you come with me for a moment please?" Yuzu asked her cheeks stained with a slight blush as she held her hand out for Mei to take, nervously looking to her, and wondering if the younger girl would agree to come with her or not.

"What for?" Mei asked as she now just looked to Yuzu with a blank stare, wondering where this was all coming from.

"I just…want to show you something," Yuzu stated as she stood glancing away from her girlfriend for a moment as she really hoped that Mei would agree to come with her, before she now looked back to Mei with a pleading expression.

Mei just sighing as she lay her hand on top of Yuzu's, "This won't take long right?" she asked guessing that she could go along with Yuzu as long as whatever she wanted to show her wouldn't take all that long.

"Of course not, Mei," Yuzu simply answered as she now smiled nervously to Mei and held onto her hand tightly, tugging on it a little and leading the younger girl away from the others a moment later.

Matsuri looking back as she noticed Yuzu and Mei talking, watching as the two girls soon started to walk away from them all, smiling as she watched the couple leave and sighed a little now, "Well looks like Yuzu-chan took my advice after all," she thought out loud, causing Harumin to now turn round and look to her.

"Did you just say something Matsuri?" the brown haired girl asked, seeing the slight smile on Matsuri's lips and now wondering if she was planning something.

Matsuri now looking back to Harumin as she smiled innocently and shook her head, "No, I didn't say anything maybe you're hearing things Taniguchi-san," she simply stated, gaining a glare from the elder girl now, as Harumin was going to say something back to her, but got cut off by the younger girl before she could get any words out.

"Look it's starting!"

Matsuri stated as she pointed to the sky as all the others looked and now saw that the firework show had started, watching as many beautiful and bright colours were lighting up the night sky, loud bangs being heard as all of the girls happily watched the fireworks fill up the stary sky above them.

"It's so pretty,"

Yuma stated as she gazed up at the sky that was now being filled with bright colours and lovely looking patterns, smiling happily, while Hotaru looked upto her seeming to be more interested in her girlfriend's beauty rather than the fireworks right now.

"Yuma-chan,"

Hotaru now called to Yuma, catching her attention as the blonde just looked down to her in response, before she froze and noticed that the dark haired girl was now leaning into her slightly. Gazing into Hotaru's bright blue eyes and seeing the fireworks reflecting off of them, Yuma let herself lean in a little, her heart beating wildly inside her chest now, as the small gap between soon closed.

Both of them now closing their eyes as they grabbed each other's hands and held on tightly to one another, kissing lightly, and letting their moment only last for a few minutes, before their lips parted and they gazed into the other's eyes deeply.

Yuma calling herself lucky that it didn't seem like the others had noticed anything since they were obviously too engrossed by the fireworks at the moment. Her and Hotaru interlocking their fingers now, as they just stood smiling to each other for a moment, before looking back upto the sky and continue to watch the fireworks with all the others.

…...

Meanwhile Yuzu had now led Mei up on top of a nearby hill that was just above where the festival was being held, the two being a little ways away from everyone else, as the blonde nervously let go off Mei's hand and walked upto the railing that was at the edge of the hill, looking up to the sky and noticing that the fireworks had already started.

"It's a nice view up here isn't it Mei?"

Yuzu asked as she glanced back to Mei and smiled to her nervously now, knowing that Matsuri had said to kiss Mei when the fireworks had started, but just kissing her so suddenly didn't sound like it would be all that good of an idea, and would probably just cause the younger girl to get mad at her for surprising her like that.

"Is that what you wanted to show me?"

Mei asked as she wondered just why Yuzu had brought her here, standing near to the railing as well, and looking to the blonde with a slightly questioning expression, while Yuzu just nervously smiled back to her in return.

"Umm…no, not exactly,"

Yuzu shook her head slowly, as she now felt like not doing this anymore, but then mentally slapping herself as she built up all of her courage, deciding that if she was really going to do this, she might as well do it now since she didn't want Mei becoming uninterested and wanting to go back down the hill to the others.

Now swallowing slowly Yuzu turned round fully to Mei and moved closer to her, resting a hand on the younger girl's cheek, causing Mei to now look a little confused, wondering what the elder girl was going to do, as she just raised her eyebrow to her girlfriend.

"This is what I wanted to show you Mei," the blonde said as she now closed her eyes and pressed her lips to Mei's, unsure if the younger girl would push her away or something, but instead Mei just seemed surprised her eyes going wide as she was caught off guard and didn't know how to react.

However now sighing into the kiss and she let herself melt a little, now getting why Yuzu had suddenly pulled her away from the others, and actually kinda being thankful that the blonde chose to do something like this while they were alone, rather than being around other people.

The kiss not lasting for all that long as their lips soon parted, Yuzu looking to Mei nervously as she wondered how the younger girl would react to that sudden kiss, her emerald eyes widening when she saw a slight blush now starting to cover Mei's cheeks and ears.

"Was that okay Mei?" Yuzu asked as she stroked Mei's cheek lightly, while Mei now slightly looked away from the elder girl and nodded, composing herself as she tucked a few locks of hair behind her ear.

"I didn't mind it, I guess" the younger girl simply answered as she tried to hide her blush and calm down her now racing heart, that sudden kiss throwing her a little, wondering if Yuzu was going to do it again or not.

However Yuzu just went a little silent now as she didn't know what to do next, thinking that Mei would have gotten angry and pushed her away by now, but instead it seemed as though she had caught her off guard, _'Mei looks so cute right now…I want to kiss her again,'_ the blonde thought as she bit her bottom lip slightly and wondered if it would be okay to kiss Mei again, or would that be totally out of line for her at this point?

"Do you want to go back down to the others now?" Yuzu asked, guessing that Mei was feeling a little overwhelmed right now, and wondered if she really should have chosen to do this, since it had definitely caused Mei to go a little quiet on her.

Mei didn't answer for a while, seeming to be thinking about something as she was still composing herself a little, now turning away from Yuzu and speaking in a low voice, "Actually, could we stay up here for a little longer?" she asked glancing to Yuzu out of the corner of her eye now, a slight blush still covering her ears as she waited to hear Yuzu's answer.

"S-sure…but why?" Yuzu questioned not expecting Mei to say something like that, but if the younger girl was asking her if they could stay alone for a bit longer, than she wasn't going to refuse and say no to her.

"This view that you showed me…it actually is quite nice, so I want to look at it for just a little bit longer," Mei explained after a short pause, now looking out to the view and listening to the loud bangs of the fireworks, as she took a deep breath and now rested her hands against Yuzu's chest, waiting to see what Yuzu would do in return.

Yuzu blushed deeply as she gazed to Mei, looking to her beautiful girlfriend watching the way that she was looking out to the view. And sighing a moment later as she caught Mei's attention by wrapping her free arm around the younger girl, stroking her cheek again softly.

"Mei…can I kiss you again?" the blonde asked nervously now. Mei answering a lot quicker this time as she simply slowly nodded her head and looked back to Yuzu with a softened expression.

"Go ahead, I don't mind you kissing me Yuzu,"

The younger girl simply replied as she now linked her arms around Yuzu's neck, causing the elder girl to blush deeper as she slowly leaned in, Mei doing the same as they soon closed the tiny gap between them and shared another loving kiss, while the fireworks continued on above them. This second kiss soon becoming deeper and much more passionate than the previous one as the two of them decided to stay watching from the top of the hill for just a little bit longer.


End file.
